Page 4 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 1-4
Damn, Collin had all the luck in the family. Well, not really. Maybe he had all the luck in sisters. He handed Alice his phone. “If you get a message from the tricolored app, tell me. That will be…”
“Your mystery person, got it.” Alice smirked. “Now get out of here before you wake Dana and Maribel up and they make you go on another walk.”
“That was not a walk!”
The door to the kitchen was closed. Damian shifted Collin around in his arms so Collin could knock.
“I can use my legs, you know,” Collin muttered. “Aren’t I heavy?”
Damian chuckled into his hair and nibbled on his kink brother’s ear, ignoring the comment. Even if Collin huffed, he really didn’t mind all the manhandling their kinky poly family was smothering him with. If he wanted to be left alone and not fussed over, he should try not getting himself half killed.
“Richard carries you. And Émeric.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“You’re not heavy; you’re my brother.”
Collin play-slapped Damian just as the door opened, revealing their dom, Richard.
“What are you boys up to?”
“Crashing the party, if that’s allowed.” Damian hefted Collin. “I brought a kitten.”
Richard chuckled and held out his arms, taking Collin.
“I can walk. I’m like five foot seven, good grief,” Collin sputtered.
“Which is why we go to the gym.” Richard kissed the top of Collin’s head. “Come on in, boys. Émeric is putting vegetables in the oven, and Matthew is making something Jewish.”
Mock rage spewed from the other end of the kitchen. “I’ve told you it’s hamantaschen.”
Richard shook his head, grinning. “I speak multiple languages, Matthew, but every time I say that word, you tell me I got it wrong.”
“Because you are, sir!” Matthew flicked flour in Richard’s direction, which Richard evaded. It hit Collin instead.
Hypatia, a tall, beautiful woman of Palestinian descent and Matthew’s wife and domme, chuckled from where she was cooking on the stove near where Matthew was crafting pastry. Whatever she was working on had an enticing aroma.
Damian drifted toward her. “What smells that good?”
“Cardamom and almonds. Just toasting a few more of the nuts for the maqloubeh when it comes out.”
“Hmm… Every time you cook, it’s amazing.”
Hypatia grinned. “My auntie’s recipe. It’s always perfect.”
“So Hypatia and Matthew are running the show tonight?” Damian quirked an eyebrow at Émeric. Usually, the dark Frenchman took point on culinary exertions. His mix of Japanese, French, and Mediterranean cooking was never boring.
“They gave me a break so Richard and I could work on tomorrow’s food.” Émeric tilted his head toward one of the four ovens. “Pies, for tomorrow. Apple. Pumpkin. Lemon custard. Irish potato pot pie for breakfast. Chicken pie.”
“Everything pie.” Hypatia chuckled. “How many did you make, nine?”
Émeric shuddered. “I am not roasting a turkey.”
Damian retrieved his phone from Alice after dinner. Still no reply from Jun, but nestled in his email was a short notice headlined: “BBB3 facing financial difficulty.”
It wasn’t a news article but a private email from a colleague in Seoul. Damian excused himself from the washing up of dinner and stepped out into the hallway by the staircase to read it.
There wasn’t much, just some evidence of BBB3 moving money around and quietly asking for loans. They’d been making some of these moves for the previous six months, but in the last week, the attempts at doing something had become more panicked. Damian grimaced and closed the email. He checked his message to Jun one more time. Still unanswered.
