by Autumn Grey
“Don’t hold back, Selene. I want it all. I will not be able to hold on too long,” Remington said as his thighs tensed beneath me and he seemed to harden even more inside me. His hands and mouth worshipped my body, sucking, caressing, kneading, nipping, gripping, squeezing, and licking and there was nothing I could do about it other than squirm on his lap, scream, and savor it.
I leaned forward, pressing my lips to his throat and gently sucked the skin there. “I don’t want you to. Come with me, Remington,” I whispered hoarsely.
There was nothing tender or sensual about it but an act of fulfilling a raw need. Pure hunger of two bodies, two souls that needed each other to make them whole. It was explosive, almost desperate, intense. He took what he needed from me and I did the same. This wasn’t sex, but something between sex and fucking.
And he came at the same time I did, shouting my name. His arms shot around me, my breasts flattened on his hard chest, and he hugged me tightly to him as our heartbeats thumped against each other’s chest.
I inhaled, taking in the scent of sex and Remington’s cologne, and exhaling all the frustrations and fear, which had held me captive the entire day. I quite liked being handcuffed, especially by Remington. The only downside was that I couldn’t touch him like I’d wanted to. But knowing that he was doing things to me with his hands and mouth and I wasn’t expected to return the favor, but enjoy what was being done to me gave me a high unlike any I’ve ever experienced before.
“You ruined me,” he said. “I can hardly stand on my feet.”
“I guess we will just have to crawl upstairs,” I announced with a lack of conviction. Remington’s shoulders shook but no sound came from his mouth. “As long as I go first; I’m incapable of staring at your ass without thinking of fucking you.”
I laughed and the next second, Remington leaned forward, grabbed his jeans, and pulled out a small key from the pocket. After unlocking the handcuffs, he tossed them on floor and then cradled me in his arms as he marched upstairs and into his bathroom. His hold around me was strong, giving me the feeling that, with him, I would always be safe.
I SAT back on the seat, and quickly read the report Gilles had handed me a few minutes ago, but my mind was still on my reunion with Selene yesterday, how I had fulfilled my promise after Adrien was in bed—tied her to my bed and fucked her until we both couldn’t see straight.
I blinked to focus on the papers. I had already read it three times and nothing seemed to stick inside my brain. Apparently, my mind had other plans.
Gilles shifted on his chair, staring at me with his eyebrows raised. I knew he noticed how distracted I was. It wasn’t in my nature to be this inattentive.
I was not about to give him the opportunity to interrogate me.
Heaving a deep sigh, I forced my mind back to the matters at hand and reread the document for the fourth time. “Is this all?” I asked, tossing the papers on the table and focusing on Gilles. “Gilles, you and your team had enough time to look into this. Is that all you could find out? My son and the woman—” I stopped short, realizing what I had been about to say.
The woman I love.
Shit.
I rubbed my jaw, thinking back on the words she had spoken jokingly. She warned me I would fall for her. But had I really? Or was I hanging onto the fact that Selene made me feel self-confident and the ache in my heart bearable? It did not hurt that Adrien obviously adored her. The boy had practically mourned her absence after she left.
At that moment, I could hear their laughter from outside the library’s closed door. My lips quirked as I turned my attention back to Gilles. As a former member of GIGN—National Gendarmerie Intervention Group—he had an extensive knowledge of undercover surveillance, among other qualities. He was a mean son of a bitch when he put his mind on something.
“Did you check the whereabouts of the women on the list I gave you?”
He nodded. “The first two women on the list have been out of the country for the past two months.”
“But that does not disqualify them from being suspects, does it?” I impatiently tapped my finger on the smooth, dark surface of the oak table.
“No, it does not.”
I rose from the chair, massaging the nape of my neck and turned to face the black Paris night out the window. “I need to make arrangements for us to travel to Provence for a few days. I think it might be easier to keep everyone safe there. I need you or a member of your team and Èric to accompany us. Are you up for it?”
The thought of Èric anywhere near Selene still made my hackles rise. I wasn’t fond of the way he looked at her but his easy smile and cheerful eyes masked a lethal man. He was the kind of man I wanted at my side when shit hit the fan. Gilles knew this about Èric and he’d been thinking of recruiting him to join his security firm.
“Us? Does she know of this arrangement?” he asked.
I looked over my shoulder. “Not yet.” But I wasn’t going to leave her unprotected.
“Did you say something?” Gilles asked, amusement thick in his voice.
I rolled my eyes. “Just make the arrangements and I will handle the rest.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I know you asked me to stop any background checks on Selene. Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I said in a steely voice. “I told you I wasn’t interested, Gilles.” How could I explain to him that somehow, I trusted Selene? She had willingly walked out of my house in order to keep my son and me safe. From what I knew about her, she wasn’t the kind of person to hurt people out of maliciousness. She had a pure soul. Even after everything that happened to her, she had the strength to carry on.
What was I going to do when the three months were over? And what about Adrien?
I rubbed a hand down my face, my mind flooding with different options. I could ask her to stay. Was it too early for that? All I knew was I couldn’t see myself letting her go without a fight. I just hoped she felt something akin to more than like for me. She obviously adored Adrien.
Gilles studied me for several seconds before he nodded once and rose from his seat. “I haven’t gotten anything on Adele yet as you requested yesterday. Do you think she could be this person sending the letters?”
“I just want to be certain she’s not.”
He nodded. “I’ll keep you updated.”
We left my office and returned to the living room. After Gilles muttered good night to Selene and Adrien, he nodded curtly before heading out the door.
I wasn’t going back on my decision about checking up on Selene. I’d made up my mind, I was going to enjoy being with her. Besides, as I’d gotten to know her, I trusted my instincts about her. But I still wondered about some of the things I did when I was around her. Was I in way over my head here? Yesterday had been perfect. I hadn’t planned to tell her about my father or Colette. But there was just something about her—the way she stared at me with her large, hazel eyes full of softness—that snapped my control and made me bare my soul to her. I didn’t regret telling her, though. I’d been holding so much inside me; it felt liberating to finally talk to someone who did not judge me. Or pity me.
I strode into the living room and stopped, taking in the scene before me. Adrien and Selene sitting next to each other in the dining room, thumb fighting. Selene’s face was screwed up as she pretended to be losing, and then she dropped to the floor, causing my son to scream joyously. Then he turned and saw me.
“Papa, I won, I won!” Adrien shrieked, waving at me with his fork then pointed at Selene. “She made macaroni with cheese.”
“Her name please, Adrien.” I ruffled his hair, my heart swelling and, unable to stop myself, I leaned forward and kissed Selene’s forehead and then helped her up. She smiled up at me and I blinked at her, spellbound.
“Selene.” Adrien smiled shyly, scraping his plate clean of the lingering specks of macaroni and cheese Selene had made for dinner.
“Hey.” She walked toward the kitchen and I followed her like a smitten, young schoolb
oy. “Hungry?”
“I am really trying not to answer that right now.”
She smiled, biting her lip and I knew she remembered our reunion.
“Yes, I am starving.” My gaze tracked her every move around the kitchen as she prepared hot chocolate, adding two marshmallows, and took it to Adrien. It was rather pathetic how much I craved her. “How is your schedule for the next few days?” I finally asked when she returned back to the kitchen.
“I’m free until Grace finalizes a contract with a design house in Berlin. Why do you ask?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to join Adrien and me in Provence for a few days.”
She bit her lip, turning away to serve a huge heaping of food on a plate. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“That’s taking things a bit too far, don’t you think?” she asked, looking at me over her shoulder and I frowned. “Your mother?”
“What about her?”
She exhaled as if exasperated that I wasn’t getting the point. In truth, I wasn’t.
“Don’t you think she’ll think something is going on between us? Something more?”
Oh, that. “Well, my mother is in London meeting with some wine sellers at the moment and will not be returning until the beginning of October.”
Her shoulders loosened at little, and she smiled. “All right. I would love to. I’m not sure about meeting your mother just yet.”
I wasn’t ready for them to meet yet. My mother had been pushing me to marry again, saying Adrien needed a mother. Yes, my son needed a mother figure in his life. I hadn’t given up on love even after what happened with Colette, but that didn’t mean I would get involved with any woman to make sure that happened. Everything had its time and place.
She tilted her head to the side, and narrowed her eyes at me in scrutiny. “Something else is going on. Want to talk about it?”
I had opened myself up too much to her, and her eyes saw through me, more than felt comfortable. “I want to keep you safe while we try to find out who is behind the threats. The château is much safer.”
“You own a château?”
I grinned, relieved she was distracted from what was actually bothering me. “Actually, my mother owns it. It has been in our family for a long time.”
“Are you guys some kind of monarchy or something?” she asked in a joking voice.
“My great, great grandfather was a marquis,” I said, remembering how my mother had made sure I had my family history straight.
“Well then . . .” she said, seemingly at a loss for words.
“Does that change things between us?”
“You are still the same man you were one minute ago, so no. It doesn’t change a thing.”
Just then, Adrien hopped down from his seat and took his plate and mug to the sink, yawning. Selene had given him a bath earlier on while I was in the office with Gilles.
“Time for you to go to bed.”
After he kissed Selene good night, Adrien skipped ahead of me, dashing up the stairs. I glanced over my shoulder and caught Selene’s hot gaze trailing my ass.
“Insatiable minx,” I mouthed the words to her.
Not that I could blame her. I felt just as insatiable.
THE FOLLOWING day we drove toward a privately owned hangar near Charles De Gaulle Airport. Remington filled me in on his two brothers. Lucien was the mad race car driver as he put it and Dominique was into horseracing. They sounded like a crazy bunch, and I looked forward to meeting them. Adele was traveling with us as well. Earlier today, Remington informed me that Gilles was doing some checks on her to make sure she wasn’t a threat. So if she pulled a stunt, Gilled and Èric would catch her in the act. Personally, I didn’t feel as though she was dangerous. I felt responsible for this. I probably shouldn’t have made Remington doubt himself over Adele. After watching Adele since Remington and I got together back again, I came to realize what Adele felt for Remington was respect coupled with simple affection and nothing more. The way her eyes lit up when he or his son walked into the room made me feel happy for Remington that he had one more person who loved him. He was so easy to love.
I stopped breathing.
Shit! Love? Did I say love? I meant, easy to grow fond of.
I gave up grappling with my feelings and took in my surroundings.
There were several small planes scattered around. We boarded a white one with blue lines along the sides. Apparently, Remington believed in travelling in luxury. Impressive.
“Are you comfortable?” he asked as soon as he had settled Adrien across from us.
I nodded. “You’re quite the Prince Charming. I feel spoiled, Remington.”
He snorted. “Prince Charming? I told you I’m not that man. I’m sure even my tamest thoughts would scare the shit out of him. And I enjoy spoiling you, Princess.” He flashed me a heated look.
“Can’t you think of anything other than dirty thoughts when you look at me?”
He sighed dramatically. “I’ve tried really hard, but failed miserably. It’s as though, when I look at you or even the slightest thought of you knocks all sensible notions out my head.” He shrugged. “You are the muse to my thoughts.”
“Wow, don’t hold back, St. Germain.”
“I promised you the truth. Always.” He grinned as he buckled his seatbelt.
A few minutes later, we were on the way to Provence.
As soon as our plane reached our destination, the tension coiled in my bones melted away. As we disembarked, I glanced around while Adrien bolted toward a tall man with dark, curly hair standing a few feet from us.
Remington’s palm was on my lower back as we left the plane behind. I loved the way his hand felt on my body, possessive and attentive.
We stopped in front of the tall man. Those eyes and a strong jaw! The air here in Provence must do wonders for the male population.
He was very good looking with about a day or two’s worth of scruff, a straight nose, and full lips, which were pursed as if he were deep in thought. His eyebrows were scrunched up in a small frown resembling confusion as his brown eyes studied me. Remington nudged him in the ribs, breaking the man’s scrutiny.
Man, this is awkward.
They hugged each other before turning to face me.
“Lucien, this is Selene,” Remington announced. He sounded proud and almost adoring. I loved it.
Oh, the mad race car driver. Sweet.
I saw a thousand questions flitting in his eyes. He darted a loaded look at Remington and then back at me.
I shifted on my feet, nervously, knowing he was seeing what Remington saw the first time we met.
Lucien’s face cleared, a slow smile spread across his features, and he quickly pulled me into a hug, kissing both my cheeks, then once more on my left cheek. “Well, Selene. No wonder Sunshine over here was twisted over you when he was here a few days ago. You’re utterly breathtaking. And by the way, call me Luc.” “ I could sense an accent in some words, but otherwise his English was perfect. Too perfect.
Sunshine? I snorted.
“Enough buttering her up, Lucien.” Remington turned to me. “This idiot of a brother has a sarcastic way of showing his love.”
Lucien didn’t change his focus on me and Remington’s lips flattened as irritation flashed in his eyes.
“How is Charlotte doing? You know, your girlfriend?” Remington asked, interrupting Luc as he guided me toward a Jeep parked a few feet away, while Adrien skipped then scrambled inside the back seat of the car. Adele, Gilles, and Èric were driving in a different car so they headed toward a Peugeot parked a few feet away.
Luc laughed, slapping Remington on his back. “She’s fine, actually.”
“Keep that in mind.”
Luc rolled his eyes at Remington’s tone as he slid into the driver’s seat. I laughed. It was so refreshing to see this side of Remington. It was as if the moment the plane landed, he was a new person who was lighter and care
free, albeit very possessive, something that I’d noticed since we got back together.
Lucien drove like a maniac. A very confident maniac. I spent half the trip gripping the leather seats, my stomach in knots. Thank God, the traffic was almost non-existent. Adrien squealed and laughed, clapping his hands, while mine searched for purchase to stop from banging into the seat in front of me. Even the motorcycle ride with Remington didn’t make me this scared.
“My child and Selene are in this car, Lucien. This is not the right time to show off your skills.”
“Mon Dieu, but you are such a party pooper, Remington.”
“It’s called responsibility, idiot.”
I chuckled under my breath at their banter.
We drove about ten minutes in silence at a moderately slower speed while I took in the surroundings outside the car. Adrien had finally dozed off and snuggled into me, snoring softly. The feel of his tiny, warm body next to mine was like a balm to my heart, temporarily, chasing away the pain lurking in the corners and crevices of my heart, just waiting to rear its ugly head.
“Grape Harvest tours in Luberon,” I read on a billboard as the car drove by. “Is it the season?”
“Oui. Would you like to do that sometime?” Luc asked and Remington cursed under his breath. Luc laughed. “Come on, Remington. Relax. There is no need for you to scowl at me. It was just an offer.”
I couldn’t see Remington’s face, but from Luc’s playful expression, I knew he was baiting Remington and it was probably something that Luc did, teasing his brother to get a reaction.
“Remington and I haven’t talked about our plans yet.” I leaned forward, slid my hand on Remington’s shoulder and rubbed his strong jaw with my fingers. He flashed a dimpled smile at me, and dear God, heat pooled between my thighs.
After we stopped at an intersection, Luc turned left onto a road flanked on both sides by vineyards. I breathlessly admired the scenery, the rolling hillsides and hilltop villages in a distance, a smile tugging at my lips. A hand on my knee pulled me away from the window. Remington had twisted his body around in the front seat and met my gaze before glancing down at his son and back up at me. His gaze was warm, and for a second, I thought I saw something more. Something that made my pulse flutter like tiny butterfly wings. Then he turned to face the front, taking that look with him, and my stomach clenched delightfully. I couldn’t stop myself from reacting to him. My heart still pined for him, even sitting so close to me. Maybe I needed to teach my heart to hold back, to look before leaping because this jump might lead me to a place I could never climb out of. But a heart is stubborn, greedy, selfish, and it wants what it wants, thrives on being fed its favorite food, so I let mine feed as I took in Remington’s side profile.
