Colton flopped down on the bed next to Aiden. “What’s that?” Colton had never been so appreciative of Aiden’s ability to produce photorealism.
Aiden glanced down at the sketch, and a blush spread up his face. “Oh.” He hurried and flipped the page. “Forget you saw that one.”
“Why? Go back. That was—” What? Lovely didn’t seem like the correct word. Although it was indeed lovely. “Oooh…” The next sketch was even lovelier. Way more graphic, but tastefully done. It was erotic and artistic and… “Whoa.”
The artwork depicted a man’s hand and— Oh dear. Colton blinked. Yes, that was a finger in the man’s arsehole. “When did you start drawing erotic art?”
Aiden shrugged. “I just dabble. I only use paper though. Because this is not something I want in Jeffers’s memory.”
“I’d say that’s a good idea.”
Aiden flipped the page.
The next sketch contained two entwined bodies. No faces. One figure bent at the waist, or maybe the man was on all fours. Only the torso with an inch or two of thigh showed below the arse. It was a three-quarter view. The other body was bent over the first with just the head of his penis inside the other man’s arse. His hand gripped the other man’s arse cheek, holding it open. It was a big masculine hand with a vaguely familiar gold band. Hmmm… Even in black and white, Colton could imagine the pink marks on the paler arse cheek. It even looked as though he’d been…spanked. Yes, those were definitely handprints. The detail was spectacular. For all the explicitness of the sketch, he could not help but appreciate the artistic skill and composition. But he’d never seen anything so graphic in his life.
Heat raced up his neck and down his back. He’d read about doing it, even overheard conversations about it, but seeing it was something entirely different. He’d be lying if he said it wasn’t arousing as well. Colton cleared his throat. He wanted to see more, yet at the same time he did not want to get hard in his brother’s presence. “Does it hurt?”
Shaking his head, Aiden prepared to turn the page again. “No, it’s just odd at first. After you get used to—”
“Oh my stars!”
“Ah!” Colton and Aiden both jumped. The sketchbook slid off Aiden’s lap and onto the floor with a splat. Colton and Aiden whirled around as one to face their intruder.
Cony stood at the side of the bed, one hand on the post, the other at the base of his neck.
“Umm…” Colton stood up. He knew he was blushing to the roots of his hair. One glance at Aiden confirmed he was as well. “Cony, we… Um…”
Aiden picked up the sketchbook, closed it and faced their sire. “No offense, Cony, but your pre-wedding night talk was not helpful, so I thought I’d…” He shrugged.
The urge to point at Aiden and blame him was strong, but Colton resisted. “Aiden’s sketches are quite beautiful, don’t you think?” Oh, wonderful. Shoot me now. He couldn’t believe that had come out of his mouth.
Cony’s lip twitched.
“After looking at those, I think your talk with Aiden about lube seems like good advice.” Guh! Someone shut me up, please. Colton groaned and dropped his head in his hand.
Aiden stepped back away from Cony, inching himself next to Colton. “Say something, Cony?”
“Well then. I guess this concludes our talk. Any questions?” He didn’t wait for an answer. He turned toward the door. “Good. I’ll see you both downstairs in five minutes.” Twisting the knob, he said, “The sketch was beautifully done, Aiden.” He quit the room.
Colton looked at Aiden.
Aiden looked at him.
They busted out laughing.
The door opened again, and they slammed their mouths shut.
Nate stuck his head in. “What did the two of you do to Raleigh? He was blushing and didn’t even look at me when I told him good morning.”
Aiden fell against the bedpost and slid to the floor, chortling.
Joining his brother, Colton missed the post and dropped to the bed.
Chapter Thirteen
Evans Jewelry Store, downtown Classige, Pruluce.
“This is it.” Sebastian held the ring up toward the light one last time. The sapphires sparkled and the platinum shone so bright it was blinding. It was big and masculine yet elegant. Colton was going to love it. The horseshoe shape was perfect, and blue was his favorite color. Sebastian had expected to come get a simple wedding band, but instead he’d found this ring. It was as though it were made just for Colton. “Wrap it up. I’ll take it.” Sebastian handed the ring back to the jeweler. Today was going to be a good day.
“Very well, milord. Good choice,” the jeweler commented.
Rourke leaned against the glass display case and crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s wrong with a signet ring as a wedding band? Most men give their consorts a signet ring to celebrate their new title.” He frowned and glanced down at Sebastian’s hand. “Speaking of… Why don’t you wear one? I know at one time you and Hastings both had one. It was your wedding ring.”
Sebastian shrugged. “I’ve no idea where it is.” Furthermore, he didn’t care. He used the royal guards seal when he needed one to seal the wax on his correspondence. “You know I could care less about the viscountcy.”
“Right.” Rourke held his hand up and admired his gold signet ring, with his crest cut into a square emerald. The Duke of Knighton’s crest held a shield with a knight’s helmet, lance and some vines twined around the letter R for the last name Rourke. But along with the Knighton crest, which was on all the members of the Rourke family’s rings, it contained a dagger at the bottom of the shield, Rourke’s own unique emblem he was given at birth. “I wish I had my parents’ and brother’s rings.” They’d been lost at sea with the bodies.
Sebastian didn’t know what to say. What was it like to have such a long and proud heritage? Rourke got melancholy when his family was mentioned. Fortunately, the jeweler came back with the boxed ring, sparing Sebastian.
“Here you are, milord.” The jeweler handed Sebastian the open box. “I’ll charge your account?”
“Yes, please.” Sebastian closed the box and tossed it to Rourke. “You’ll do the honor of being my best man again, I assume?”
Rourke caught the box and stuffed it in his coat pocket. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Sebastian opened the door, holding it for Rourke. He followed the duke outside, and they headed toward the public stables where they’d left their horses.
It was a nice day. The snow had let up, and even though the cold lingered, the sun was shining and the streets were full. The smell of fresh cinnamon and buttercream drifted past them, along with a hawker’s call of “Fresh cinnamon buns, bagels and tarts.”
Today was the big day. It was an impossibility to be as ignorantly happy as he’d been on his first wedding day, but he was pleased. He’d come a long way from the idiotic twenty-two-year-old he’d been then and had a much healthier sense of reality instead of a fairytale vision. He wasn’t looking for love in this marriage, but he was certain he’d be happy.
“You look deep in thought.” Rourke contemplated him. “Nervous?”
“No.”
Watching where he was going once again, Rourke said, “I seem to remember you being a wreck the last time.”
Who wouldn’t have been? “Get married in Regelence Royal Cathedral in front of four hundred people and see if you don’t have a slight attack of anxiety.”
“No, thank you. Frankly, I’m wondering if it would really be so bad to let my cousin inherit the title.” Rourke shuddered.
Chuckling, Sebastian shook his head. “You’ve no intention of allowing your cousin to inherit Knighton and you know it.”
Rourke sighed and waved his hand. “Doesn’t matter. We’re discussing you. Are you happy?”
“Oddly, I am. I hadn’t planned to marry again, but I rather like Colton.”
Rourke smirked. “If I didn’t know you were completely serious, I would laugh. But since
you are, I’ll just say good. I am quite certain you did not like Wentworth. Lusted after, admired, even envied, but you didn’t like him. But then, he was not a likeable fellow in my opinion.”
No, he hadn’t been. Too bad it had taken Sebastian awhile to realize that. “Is this where you say I tried to tell you…?”
“No, this is where I say I approve of your choice this time around. So go on a wedding trip, enjoy yourself and leave everything here to me.”
If only it were that simple. “I cannot leave until Jenkins is found.” Not to mention, Colton would probably balk at the idea. He was about to break ground with the stables.
“I was afraid you were going to say that. At least take a day or two off. I can handle things at the castle.”
He supposed he could take a day. Yes, a day with nothing but Colton to do sounded rather nice. He squinted against the glare of the sun. A soft breeze caught his hair, tickling his ear. Perhaps that was a good omen. It had been storming the last time he’d gotten married.
They passed three parked lifts and a vender selling oranges. As they walked into the stables, Sebastian revised his opinion on what kind of day it was going to be.
Barnaby Plume came out of the stall next to Max. He caught sight of Sebastian and snarled. “Well, well, aren’t the reprobates up early this morning. Just headed home from carousing?” He leaned his arm against the stall and turned to face Sebastian and Rourke.
“Sod off, Plume.” Rourke sneered as he retrieved his horse.
Plume smiled. “How very rude, Your Grace. Been taking lessons from Wentworth and his little prince?” The words Wentworth and prince might as well have been synonymous with pond scum the way Plume said them.
Heat suffused Sebastian’s face and neck, but he refused to take the bait. He unhooked the rope closing off the stall he’d let for Max.
Max ambled out toward him.
“You know I was talking to my sire yesterday evening and— Hmm…” Plume tapped his chin and glanced at the ceiling. “Now where was I going with that? Oh yes…” One side of Plume’s mouth lifted. “Keep tight rein on your prince or you may both suffer an even bigger scandal.”
A pain lodged in Sebastian’s throat, making it impossible to swallow. He kept from gasping but just barely. There was something about the twinkle in Plume’s eye. He knows. Why else would he mention his sire? Leo Plume, Viscount-Consort Leith, despised Sebastian. It was a threat. It had to be. A wave of dizziness overcame Sebastian as he took Max’s reins and tossed them over Max’s head.
Sebastian hoisted himself into the saddle, striving for an outer calm he wasn’t close to feeling at the moment. Reining Max into Plume, Sebastian sat up tall in the saddle. With any luck Max would blow snot on the weasel.
When Max crowded Plume against the next stall, Plume blanched and tensed up.
Sebastian leaned over to see around Max’s head. “Don’t threaten me, Plume. You may not like what you get in return.”
Rourke rode up beside him and stopped.
Sebastian glanced at him then forward. “Kch, kch.” He nudged Max’s flanks.
“Ow. Oh. Ow. Bloody hell. My foot.” Plume hopped and reached for his foot.
Smiling, Sebastian petted Max.
As they cleared the stable, Rourke looked back over his shoulder. “Did that sniveling arsehead just threaten you and Colton?”
“Apparently.” And it scared the hell out of Sebastian. A physical attack he could handle, but having his past laid bare? It terrified him. He forced himself to relax his grip on the reins and unclenched his jaw. Plume’s family had as much to lose as Sebastian did by unburying the past.
“I say we kill him.”
Startled, Sebastian glanced at his friend.
Rourke’s expression was blank, no-nonsense, the look in his eyes steady and pointed. He was completely serious.
It was why the man was his best friend. Rourke didn’t ask what it was about—it didn’t matter—but he was willing to kill to protect people he cared about.
Sebastian grinned and some of his tension dissolved. “I don’t think the authorities will like that. He hasn’t done anything but run his mouth.” And Sebastian was fairly certain Plume wouldn’t cut off his nose to spite his face. Plume would keep his silence.
“As an elite royal guard and captain of the royal guards, I believe that makes us the authorities.”
Sebastian laughed. “So we are. Do you think it’s an abuse of power?”
“Not if no one knows we did it.”
And they were good enough to make certain no one did. They’d done it more than once in their time in the RSR. In and out like ghosts.
“I doubt he has the balls to try anything else.” At least Sebastian hoped.
They rode on for several minutes talking about nothing in particular. By the time they arrived at the castle, most of Sebastian’s good mood was restored even if a bit of uneasiness lingered.
A few horses milled about close to the castle. Colton’s spoiled-rotten filly was among them. The grooms must be cleaning stalls. As he and Rourke drew closer, she caught sight of Sebastian and loped toward them through the snow. She truly was a beauty.
“I have to thank you by the way,” Rourke said.
“For what?”
“I rather enjoy working again.”
Apollonia drew up beside Sebastian and began snuffling at his arm. Max for the most part ignored her. However, she gave Sebastian no choice but to acknowledge her.
Sebastian petted Apollonia. What if…? He chuckled. That was brilliant. “Brat, you just gave me the most excellent idea.”
“What?” Rourke looked at him.
“I was talking to the horse.”
“Um…okay?”
“Yes. More than okay. Come on.” Sebastian heeled Max’s flanks, and they took off in a run. He had plans to make. Plans that would make Colton happy.
“Are you ready?”
Colton turned from his intense study of the canopy over his bed to find his father standing at his door. He was more than ready. He’d been lying here with his legs dangling off the foot of the bed since Aiden left some ten minutes ago. It wasn’t long really, but having only his thoughts for company was not a good thing. Every disastrous wedding scenario imaginable had played out in his head.
Colton rose from the bed, grabbed his morning coat and met Father at the door. “I’m ready. The priest is here?”
“Yes.” Father offered his arm as Colton closed the door.
“Who else is here?” He took his father’s arm and followed down the hall.
“Knighton and Mr. Towers. Towers is one of Sebastian’s ex-RSR teammates and our newest bodyguard.” Father stared at him with an odd look on his face. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He stopped them and turned to face Colton fully. He buttoned Colton’s morning coat and adjusted his cravat.
Colton leaned forward and kissed his father on the cheek. He actually had to bend down a little. He was taller than his father now, but only by a few inches. “Yes.”
Father wrapped his arms around Colton and hugged him tight, squeezing him almost to the point of pain. “I’d never want you to marry if you weren’t certain. I’m sorry if I pressured you by making that announcement. I just—” He pulled back, clasping Colton’s biceps and meeting his gaze. “I thought I was helping. He’s what you always wanted, and I wanted to make you happy. But your expression when I announced the wedding—” He shook his head. “Are you certain, son? If not, I’ll go downstairs right now and call this whole thing off. We’ll deal with the fallout. I don’t want you to worry about that. I don’t want that to be the reason you’re going through with this. What I want from you is to know if this is truly what you want and if you’re going to be happy. If it’s not, it needs to be stopped.”
Colton’s vision blurred as tears welled in his eyes. He looked up, trying to get his emotions under control. “I don’t want it stopped, Father.” He took a deep breath and glanced back down at his parent. Some
thing in Father’s gaze, so full of love, made Colton wistful…sad. He missed those days when he’d sit on Father’s lap as he worked, or when he’d snuggle with Cony in front of the fire while Father read to them. How many times had his father and his sire carried him to bed after he’d fallen asleep somewhere in the castle playing with his brothers?
Colton hadn’t thought of those things in years, but suddenly he couldn’t help but mourn the loss of those much simpler days. “I never considered how hard it’d be to leave all of you. Do you know I was okay this morning until Everett reminded me I’d no longer be living here? After he mentioned packing my things, I got a stomachache. It didn’t let up until Rexley and Aiden came to see me. It’s still not gone entirely.”
“I always jest about your Cony wanting all of you kids and me trying to talk him out of it, but you do know that’s not true, don’t you? We both wanted all of you, and it’s something we’ve never regretted regardless how we tease.” Tears welled in Father’s eyes, and he too had to look up to stop them from flowing. “I love you, Colton. As much as I want you boys to be happy, I hate you not being here with me. I can’t tell you how happy I was to gain Nate and Jeremy rather than lose Aiden. It nearly killed me to let Payton go back to Englor. At least I know you’re going to be near, and I’ll see you often. Talking to Payton every other night on televid just isn’t the same.” A tear dripped down his cheek, and he dashed it away with a chuckle. “As long as I live, you’ll always have a place here. If you ever need me—”
“I know where you are.” Colton smiled and hugged his father to keep from crying. “You know if you ever need me, I’m here for you too.”
Father laughed. “Indeed I do. Come, let’s go get you married. I rather like Sebastian.”
“I rather like him too.” His father’s acceptance and love made Colton feel much better.
They made it to the main staircase and Father said, “Maybe you’ll even take pity on me and give me a grandchild I can see every day. Galaxy knows Aiden and Nate aren’t in any hurry.”
A knot formed in Colton’s stomach. So much for his bellyache going away. “You’re not helping my nerves.” He hadn’t even thought about kids. He had his hands full with Apollonia. Did Sebastian want kids? He’d never had any with his first husband. Of course he must want them at some point. He needed an heir. “I’ll make you a deal. Lay off me about grandchildren for a couple of years, and I’ll help you guilt Aiden into having one.” Not really. Even though he was fairly certain Nate was ready and even wanted another child, Aiden most definitely did not. Colton would never pressure his brother over something so serious, and apparently his brother-in-law felt the same way because he always put a stop to any talk of procreating where Aiden was concerned. At least in Aiden’s presence.
My Regelence Rake Page 18
