Page 59 of Balthazar's Fire

Cherie wasn’t sure why she offered the additional information, after all, it hardly mattered, but her earlier conversation with Rebecca had inferred that the redhead hadn’t known how Cherie knew Oliver, and if their friendship was to have a chance, Cherie wanted all of the loose ends to be tied.

“You worked for him?” Rebecca released a breath, as though things were finally clearer in her head. “He was the dick who threatened to fire you in front of all those people?”

“Among other things, yes,” Cherie replied, conscious of the way Balthazar gripped her hand.

“That makes sense.” Rebecca smiled sadly.

“Why?” Balthazar queried.

“Well,” Rebecca retorted with a shrug. “It stands to reason. Oliver always was an asshole.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Balthazar

“Oliver always was an asshole.”

Balthazar couldn’t resist the urge to smirk at Rebecca’s reply.

Maybe I misjudged Rebecca? Perhaps there’s more to her than I realized?

Glancing between the women, he only knew one thing for certain; Cherie appeared to have taken the news about Sebastian’s new woman being related to the man who’d abused her with far more elegance than he had.

“We can agree on that,” he answered, meeting Rebecca’s blue eyes.

“Shall we sit down and talk some more?” Sebastian proposed, signaling to the multiple expensive couches scattered around the room. “Do you guys have time?”

“I’d like that,” Cherie responded before Balthazar could reply. “If it’s okay with you, sir?” She pressed herself against him, as though her sexy curves and seductive smile could persuade him to agree. Which of course, they could.

“Sir?” Rebecca queried with a half-smile. “Does the address run in the family or something?”

“We’re trying it for size,” Cherie admitted with a girlish giggle. “I like it, though.”

“I do, too.” Rebecca’s grin grew with the confession. “Seems like we have more in common than we realized!”

“The answer to your question is probably yes,” Sebastian interjected. “It does seem as though all us brothers share similar tastes in the bedroom.”

“Wow.” Cherie’s cheeks flamed as she replied. “Who knew that kinks were genetic?”

“If you’re happy to stay and talk, then let’s do that.” Balthazar suggested, steering her toward a nearby couch, and avoiding her no doubt rhetorical question. He was well aware that Sebastian and the others also enjoyed dominating their partners, but that wasn’t the topic of conversation that interested him. At least, not today.

Cherie had taken the news about Rebecca well—better than he had—and he wanted to harness this opportunity to talk to Sebastian’s lady and hear what she had to say. Maybe spending time with Rebecca would allay some of his lingering concerns.

“They can be so bossy, can’t they?” Rebecca joked to Cherie as Sebastian guided her to the sofa opposite. “But don’t we just love it?”

“Erm.” Cherie’s cheeks were an adorable shade of crimson. “Yes, we do.”

Taking his place next to Cherie, Balthazar stared at the woman sitting beside his brother. Sebastian hadn’t been wrong about her sass when he’d described her earlier, and yet he was practically beaming as he reached for her hand. Balthazar couldn’t recall seeing him happier.

“Careful,” Sebastian murmured. “I could deliver that spanking right now.”

Cherie shot Balthazar a nervous look at the mention of the ‘s-word’, and she caught her lower lip between her teeth when he smirked back at her.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Rebecca teased. “You want to make a good impression in front of Cherie and Balthazar.”

“Don’t mind us,” Balthazar replied, motioning for them to go ahead. “I totally understand the need to discipline a wayward woman.”

Despite his reticence about Sebastian’s choices and desire to learn more about Rebecca, Balthazar realized he was enjoying the banter, and while he couldn’t envision Seb forcing Rebecca over his knee in front of them, it certainly was a titillating thought.

---