Page 76 of Crown of Steel

“Good.” Sagging down onto the cushion next to Gaël, I grab hold of my glass and take a sip from my drink. Louis is working the escort’s ass as he lets him drink some more from the bottle, and in my peripheral I see Gaël sitting cross-legged as he checks the contents of his box. The tiny bottles of oil clink sharply in the background as Dad debriefs his week. As it turns out, the due diligence report I worked on during the summer break helped our finance department with our final preparation toward yet another winehouse, this one located in Italy.

“We should soon be able to make an offer. I’ll try and see if I can bring you with me, depending on the date.”

My chest deflates a little as I relax into my seat. “That would be really cool.”

There’s some rustling in the background, then Nathalie gets to the phone. “Hi Arthur, how is Régis? Is he with you?”

“No, I’m sorry, he’s not.” This is only one of the countless moments that she’s asking me this question, her disappointment thick though she never lets it out. Gaël looks up from his oils with a wicked grin and I roll my eyes at him. A few more hours, then my kitten will be back with me. In bed. “He’s playing chess downstairs.” She lets out an approving sound at that, sends me kisses, then Dad’s back on the phone.

“I see that Louis just called me on my other phone, but I can’t reach him.” My eyes catch sight of my brother rolling the escort’s hip over his own as he lets him ride his cock, his chest plastered against the guys’s back. Our boy’s head falls back and his eyes search mine as he bounces onto my brother’s lap, giving me a salacious smile.

“No, Louis is busy. Football practice. But I know why he called you.” I blow a kiss to the escort, then grab my glass and head for the bedroom. Kicking the door shut with the back of my foot, I amble toward the window. It’s still howling outside, with heavy rain and stormy gusts coating the forest. “We discussed tomorrow’s gathering with the brotherhood. There’s been some tension. I can’t put my finger on it, but the guys are agitated.”

Like cats seeking their mice.

“Oh, explain?” Dad asks, sounding genuinely worried.

“Our brothers have trouble concentrating.”

They want to hunt.

“Our brothers need a change.”

They need to claim.

“Our brothers need to be motivated differently.”

They need to fuck.

Dad hums. “To be honest, Elder Jacques mentioned something similar. And Régis has been attending our gatherings?”

“One so far. But Louis and I think that for tomorrow, it might be an idea to focus on charity instead.” I empty my glass in one go while Dad contemplates my suggestion.

“It’s too early, don’t you think?” He finally asks. “Masks only go down afterRéinvention,which is only in a few weeks time. Only then can you all communicate freely. Speaking of, Nathalie wants to make this year’s Christmas even more festive by doing an outdoor seafood barbeque.”

“That sounds great. Dad, why don’t we invite a few elite members for tomorrow’s gathering? They can talk about charity, and the importance of donations to the less fortunate. We can keep our masks on.”

Dad lets out a long sigh. “Alright then,” he finally agrees. “I’ll see what I can do. I’ll call you back when I find a few volunteers at such short notice. But right before Christmas, it won’t be easy.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

I hang up and check the time. It’s already nearly nine o’clock. We somehow still managed to fill the time with nothing but bullshit and bad jokes. Leaving my glass in the kitchen, I ignore the sound of Louis’s grunts and smacking balls.

“Just got a text from Dominique.” Gaël’s still working on his oils, unbothered by the fucking going on right beside him, his phone discarded on the couch. “He’ll head back in half an hour or so.”

“Good.” That means that I’ll be waiting for Régis by then. Freshly washed and very naked. In his bed. “Dad will pull some strings for tomorrow evening.”

“That’s great. Oh, Arthur—” He calls out, right when I turn to leave. Turning over my shoulder, I jut my chin. “You’ve got to think of a way to get this approved, bro.”

I narrow my gaze. “What?”

Gaël grins. “Don’t play dumb on me. You and your little stepbrother.”

“Oh, fuck off dude.” Flipping him off, I want to turn for my bedroom, but change my mind at the last second. The master key gives me access to Régis’s empty room within less than a second. On second thought, I prefer using his bathroom for my shower, just to rub it nicely into his adamant, pretty head that I’ll have him anyway I like.

18

RÉGIS

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