Chapter Twelve #3
“Oh, come on.” Priest drained the rest of his drink, and Zayne took a moment to study the man.
Up close he could see laugh lines around eyes the same color as Chloé’s. He had thick silver hair cut into a modern haircut that made him extremely handsome despite his perpetual scowl. But right now, he was looking at Zayne as though he was out of his mind.
“You two own a sex club, not a honeymoon resort.”
“Some people might consider those two things one and the same. Are you saying sex shouldn’t be part of a love life?”
Priest’s lips twitched, and Zayne felt a kind of triumph at having made the guy laugh.
“Watch it.”
“All I’m saying is to maybe give Ethan a chance.
You might not like him, but he will protect Chloé with everything he has.
Look at what he’s done for her already. He’ll make sure she’s happy and safe.
Just as he does with me. That’s who he is.
We’re not some spoiled rich guys who own a sex club and don’t give a shit about your daughter. ”
When Priest just stood there, Zayne thought maybe he’d gone too far. He’d never been the best at saying what he thought, but it was too late to take it back now.
“That’s an awfully compelling argument.”
Zayne shrugged. “I just didn’t want you to have the wrong idea, that’s all.”
“And does he know you’re out here advocating for him?”
“He knows I’m out here.”
Priest scoffed and looked up at the mansion looming behind them. “You’re telling me you aren’t rich?”
“Ethan’s rich. Not me. And yeah, he might come off cocky, or arrogant, whatever you want to call it.
But if you look a little closer, you’ll see the nerves.
They just look a little different. Do you really thinking he’d be trying so hard to impress all of you if he didn’t care?
He would never have gone through with this weekend if Chloé wasn’t important to him. ”
Priest turned back to the lake, and they stood there for a couple of minutes in silence looking out at the lights shimmering across the water.
“Ethan said this house belonged to his family.” The statement was so off topic that it caught Zayne by surprise. “Where are they?”
Zayne shook his head. “That’s not my story to tell.”
Priest eyed him closely, and Zayne wondered if this moment was going to undo everything that had come before it, but he didn’t care. He wouldn’t do that to Ethan.
But Priest nodded and held his hand out. “I can respect that,” he said as Zayne shook it, then he yanked him in and said by his ear, “But if either of you hurt my little girl, I’ll kill you.”
Zayne swallowed and pulled back to look him in the eye. “We figured.”
“Good.” Priest clapped him on the back. “As long as we understand each other.”
They headed back through the garden in comfortable silence. When Priest was the first to walk in the house, the look of shock on his husbands’ faces told Zayne all he needed to know.
He’d just accomplished the impossible. He’d soothed the “scary” one.
“I’m not going to apologize for needing some fresh air.” Priest took his seat beside Robbie and looked across the table at Ethan. “You got any other secrets up your sleeve, or is that it?”
Ethan didn’t even hesitate. “That’s it.”
Priest looked to Chloé. “What about you?”
“Ah, no. I think that pretty much covers it.”
“Good. I don’t want to talk or think about that anymore.”
She quickly nodded as Zayne made his way to his seat. As he sat down, Chloé leaned in and whispered, “Are you okay?”
He chuckled and squeezed her knee under the table. “I’m great.”
She arched a brow as though she didn’t believe him.
“Seriously. We had a good talk.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. We came to an understanding.”
“Oh? And what was that?”
Zayne looked past her to Ethan. “We don’t hurt you and he won’t kill us.”
Chloé’s eyes widened, and as she glared down the table—no doubt about to give her papa a piece of her mind—Isla appeared like a godsend.
“Good evening, sir,” she addressed Ethan, and all talk ceased. “Is everyone ready for dinner now?”
“Yes, I believe so. Thank you, Isla.”
“My pleasure. It’ll be right out.”
* * *
NEVER LET IT be said that good food and wine couldn’t ease the tension in a room.
With everyone relaxed and fully satiated, Ethan suggested they all move to the barroom to enjoy the rest of the night.
As he led the way downstairs, he fell into step with Zayne.
He hadn’t had a chance to talk to him one on one since Priest had been convinced to come back inside.
But the relaxed mood he’d managed to pull out of Chloé’s papa was a testimony to the kind of man Zayne was.
“Things went well when you spoke to Priest earlier, I assume?”
Zayne glanced at him as they headed down a set of mosaic-tiled stairs and through the arched hallways. “If by well, you mean I’m still alive…”
“No. By well, I mean when Priest came back from your little talk, he actually had a smile on his face.”
“Did he?”
Ethan arched a brow. “You know he did. What did you two talk about?”
“You know, you almost sound a little jealous.”
“Maybe I am.”
Zayne scoffed. “No need to be. We just talked about the things we loved, so you were there for the whole conversation.”
“Charmer.”
“You asked.”
“Uh huh.” Ethan shook his head. “He hates me, doesn’t he?”
Zayne ummed and ahhed a little, then grinned. “I mean, I think he hates you a little less now, if that helps.”
“Is it supposed to?”
Zayne started to laugh as Chloé came up beside him. “Is what supposed to what?” she asked, grinning happily.
“Nothing you need to worry about.” Ethan fingered one of the gold bracelets at her wrist and leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek. “How is everyone doing?”
“Good. They’re all stuffed. Dinner was amazing.”
“While we can’t take credit for that, I will take credit for finding a fantastic restaurant nearby.”
“As you should.” She laughed. “My père’s very picky.”
He figured, but as he looked over at the three men settling into the custom-built lounging booths, they seemed relaxed enough. There were even a couple of smiles.
“Don’t tell him I told you,” Chloé whispered as she climbed up on one of the barstools. “But my papa is dying over this room.”
Ethan looked at Zayne, a victorious smile on his lips.
They may or may not have decided to retire to this room after Chloé let slip that her papa was a Sinatra fan.
As it turned out, fate was being kind to him tonight, because his late mother had also been a fan.
Not only of Sinatra but the entire Hollywood Golden Age, and his father had had their bar fitted out like an old speakeasy.
“I thought he might enjoy it.”
“You thought right.” She gave him a thumbs-up. “Big points, and Dad is practically giddy over the stage in the corner.”
“Then he should get up on it.”
Chloé’s eyes widened. “Don’t even.”
“Why not?” Zayne chuckled. “You don’t think he’d feel comfortable?”
“Uh, I think he’d feel a little too comfortable.”
“Perfect.” Zayne waggled his brows.
“Don’t you—”
“Robbie?”
“Oh my God.” Chloé buried her face in Ethan’s arm, laughing as Robbie swiveled in his seat to look over at them.
“Did I hear my name?”
“You sure did.” Zayne grinned, and Robbie jumped to his feet and made his way to the bar. “A little birdie told us that you like to sing.”
“Aww.” Robbie stroked Chloé’s hair. “Did she now? Did she also tell you that she likes to sing?”
“No, she did not.” Ethan chuckled as Chloé’s cheeks flushed, and her dad nodded.
“Oh yes. She’s quite the performer. Even if she’s a little off key at times.”
“ Dad .”
“What? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You got your papa’s ear. The most important thing is you have fun.”
Ethan rested back against the bar and eyed their girl. “Well, now we have to see. Right, Zayne?”
Chloé looked like she wanted to murder the both of them, but when her dad clapped his hands together in excitement, her irritation seemed to vanish. She hopped off her stool and leaned in to kiss his cheek.
“Fine. But only if I get to pick the song.”
Robbie’s eyes sparkled at his daughter. “Deal, and bartender?”
Zayne perked up.
“How about you whip us up something for when we get done?”
“You got it.”
Ethan pushed away from the bar, about to lead them to the stage, when Chloé moved over to him. “You do know if I do this, you have to also. That’s the deal.”
“Whose deal?”
“The Thornton-Priestley deal.” She aimed a sassy wink his way. “It’s the way we show affection.”
He chuckled and leaned in to whisper by her ear, “Want me to show you how I show my affection?”
“Okay, you two,” Robbie interrupted. “It’s time to pick the music.”
“So it is.” Ethan took Chloé’s hand and led her over to a wall full of vinyl. “They’re in alphabetical order. My parents were huge collectors, so any band, group you can think of, it’s likely there. If not, we always have streaming.”
Chloé nodded, then started looking through the albums. Robbie came up beside him.
“I’ve been watching the way you both are with her.”
Caught off guard, Ethan turned to the youngest of Chloé’s fathers.
“Don’t think I don’t know what those cuffs on her wrists mean, though. That she holds the power, yes?”
Ethan didn’t hesitate for a second. “Most definitely.”
“Good.” Robbie’s eyes lit back up. “Then I approve. We all do, as long as she’s happy.”
“That’s all we want.”
“Then make sure you keep it that way… sir .” Robbie turned back to where Chloé was still searching through the albums, and she pulled one out and held it up in triumph.
“I got it!”
“What song?” Robbie asked.
“I’m not telling you. It’ll be a surprise.”
“Fine.” Robbie passed his drink off to Julien and then headed up to the stage.
“Do you sing?” Julien asked, and Ethan shook his head.
“No. My father built the stage when he renovated this area. He used to play guitar with his friends until all hours of the night.”
“I bet that was fun when you were growing up.”
“I was eight. I don’t really remember.”
Julien opened his mouth as though about to say something else, but—thank God for small mercies—Chloé stepped up to the mic and tapped it.
“Testing. Testing.”
As her voice echoed around the room, Robbie laughed merrily. “Oh, this is going to be fun!”
Julien’s eyes softened on Ethan, but he turned back to the two getting ready up on stage, and Ethan caught Priest looking at him over his husband’s head, his eyes full of questions that Ethan didn’t want to even think about.
He walked over to Chloé. “Do you have the record?”
“I do. Track two, please.” She held the album out, and Ethan chuckled.
“That’s perfect.”
“Right?”
Ethan walked over to the stereo and placed the record on. Then he looked back to their two performers. “Ready?”
Chloé and Robbie moved up to the mic, and both gave a thumbs-up. “Ready.”
As the piano opening lit up the room, Priest groaned so loud Ethan could hear it over the music, as Chloé and her dad launched into the opening lines of “Dancing Queen.”
One in key and one…not so much.
As the two danced around and ooohed and aaahed about a young girl who was young and sweet, Chloé looked right at him and winked. But when she moved into the verse about being a tease who could turn them on, well, he wasn’t going to encourage that with her fathers around.
Ethan glanced at Zayne to see he’d put the shaker down, and was watching with a huge grin on his face as the pair sashayed around the stage like they’d performed this number many times.
When it finally came to an end, Julien got to his feet clapping. “Bravo! Bravo! Encore. Encore.”
Priest looked to Zayne. “Drinks before that happens, please.”
Robbie waved them all off but hurried over to his husbands, while Chloé stepped off the stage toward Ethan.
“Well, what’d you think?”
Ethan took her hand as they walked to the bar. “I think you were very…committed.”
She reared back and swatted him on the chest. “What does that mean?”
Ethan looked to Zayne for help, but he just shook his head, a shit-eating grin on his face.
“It means you gave it your all.”
Chloé crossed her arms, a full pout on her pretty lips. “You made me do it.”
“I know.” Ethan’s lips twitched as he drew her in to kiss her temple. “And I’ll thank you from the bottom of my heart to never do it again.”
She burst out laughing and shoved him away. “You’re terrible.”
“Probably so. What do you think, Zayne?”
Zayne nodded. “Definitely terrible.”
Chloé picked up one of the glasses on the counter and took a sip. “Well, just for that, I’m not putting out tonight.”
Ethan’s eyes fell to the naughty little minx’s lips, and before he even thought it through, he said, “What about in Paris?”
Chloé’s mouth hovered over the edge of the glass. “Did you just say—”
“Come to Paris with us.”
Ethan looked to Zayne, whose smile now matched his own.
“It’d be perfect, Red. You’d get away from the reporters and you can show us around your city…”
Her eyes glittered with hope and excitement as what they were asking sank in—then she looked over to where her fathers sat and frowned.
“What about them? You were all just starting to get along.”
Zayne chuckled and pulled out a bottle of vodka. “And there’s plenty more where this came from.”
“Well?” Ethan said, then lowered his voice so no one would accidentally overhear. “What do you say, petite fille?”
Chloé bit into her bottom lip as she nodded. “ Oui , let’s go to Paris.”