by Amy Brent
We had a short chat as I stayed out there. I told her all about the job and nothing about the princes. She’d be upset and worried about me. Mama was only ever with my dad and it was too hard to explain being attracted to two men for me. I’d hide it from everyone in my life just to stay safe.
When it was dark, I started across the lawn. I went up the stairs and back inside, glancing back to see security walking the grounds. This beautiful place was like a fortress, especially with news of the king. I closed the door to the outside and locked it before heading to my room.
I settled in to watch a movie, munching on a bag of popcorn that Helen bought for me at the store. I liked living here and wondered what was in my future. If I lost my job, would I be turned away due to a bad reputation? This position was going to get Mama ahead faster than any job I’d get in Paris. I considered her moving here and we could be together again. Paris was beautiful but now that I was traveling, I knew a lot of other places were as well.
I could even get my mom a job here as an assistant to me with the queen wanting so many clothes. We did it before. I needed to get my life straight before that happened. I fell asleep to the TV and woke up to the alarm chiming in the morning. Dressing, I went for coffee and started my routine all over again. At lunch, Helen told me that the doctor was here now. They were all in the room and she was waiting for news, being that she always got it first. I told her to keep me posted, worried about Callin and Braden as well as their mother. I ate upstairs in my room, staring down toward the courtyard absently as I chewed my sandwich.
This was getting to me more than I ever expected. I couldn’t stop thinking about the brothers and how they were handling any of this. I wanted to see them, to comfort them or celebrate with them. That could be a long while depending on the situation. When I hadn’t heard from anyone, I went downstairs to talk to Helen. She was making an easy dinner of salad, soup, and bread and glanced at me as I walked in.
“Are you hungry?” She asked me as I moved across the room to her.
“I just… wanted to check on the king’s prognosis.” I told her, looking around carefully. My voice was soft but there were a few people in the kitchen with us. I could say that I’d spoken to the queen enough times to feel like I could ask. It was true. I’d never mention the princes.
“I was going to talk to Queen Katherine when I served them dinner. They’re eating in his room tonight, but I might have a moment with her. Want me to come tell you when I know something?” Her eyes looked at me with concern and I smiled.
“No. It’s so far. I’ll check in the morning.” I offered, accepting the soup that she offered me. I took it outside to eat at a bistro table, taking in the sounds of nature around me. I didn’t appreciate it as much as I had last night. I was too worried. I slept fitfully that night, wanting someone to come hold me and tell me what was happening.
This was ridiculous.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Callin
I stood and left my father’s room, running a hand through his hair. Braden followed, and we walked to the kitchen for the bottle of scotch that we kept for special occasions. Helen was gone now, and we took it upstairs along with some shot glasses, ending up in the man cave. I dropped on the couch first, staring forward. I wanted to see Freya badly, but it was late. I was sure she was sleeping now.
“At least there’s hope,” Braden told me as I nodded. “The meds might help him. He could be fine.” The doctor had been the most positive one yet, offering new prescriptions as a start. Dad wouldn’t be the man he was ten years ago, but he didn’t need to me. I just wanted him to live.
“I know. I’m relieved, but this was a long time coming. It’s hard to be happy quite yet.” He nodded. “Mom looked relieved. Maybe she’ll sleep again.”
“I know. I’m glad that she got something to help her relax as well.” Braden sighed and poured us two drinks. We drank together and let it sit for a moment as Braden turned on a game. He poured another shot and handed it to me, and we tossed it back. I chose to end this after four shots, feeling it from the light dinner we’d choked down. This was taking its toll on all of us and I closed my eyes on the couch, falling asleep right there.
I woke up when it was dark, finding myself alone in the room. The TV was on and I was on the couch. Blinking, I sat up and looked around. I remembered everything from the day with a start, running a hand through my hair. I should go to bed and sleep this off, but I craved Freya. I wanted her support and comfort, but it was late. Her life was still the same tomorrow, and she needed sleep. I couldn’t ruin that for her, so I stood and walked to my room. I dropped into bed and closed my eyes after I kicked off most of my clothes.
Mom bounced back after the visit from the doctor. Dad’s nurse had specific orders to follow, and she visited him as often as she could. She didn’t mind going out as much since she had good news. We didn’t get away as easily when she was distracted, handling palace business with her more now. In a way, this experience brought us closer with our mom. Still, I wasn’t surprised when she told us that there would be guests for dinner on the upcoming weekend.
We were to be there.
I knew what her plan was. Undoubtedly, another royal family would be here with another princess, maybe two. If it wasn’t a princess, it would be a woman that Mom envisioned as such. I left here that Thursday and headed upstairs, needing a fucking break. Braden followed soon after, joining me for the last of the alcohol on the couch.
“It’s good to see that it’s business as usual for Mom.” I grumbled as I handed the bottle to him.
“She will always look towards our future. It’s in her blood… our blood. We’ve always been polite and gotten through it.” His eyes were trying to reassure me, but I sighed.
“I just want Dad out of the woods completely. That’s enough to worry about.” We hadn’t seen Freya in a few days. Between palace business and visiting Dad, there was no time. We weren’t even leaving the house to hang out with friends at this point.
“I do as well. Mom just goes in in her own way. It’s just dinner. Arranged marriages are in the past.” I knew that my brother was right. I just didn’t welcome the pressure that came with these meals. I was also painfully aware that I didn’t want to sleep with anyone as I had before.
I wanted Freya.
“I know. I’ll manage. I just don’t want the added pressure right now.” I looked at him as he nodded. “I guess you had more than me, being the older brother.”
“I was nowhere near ready to take over yet. I know that I’m twenty-six, but I still have some life left. I want to enjoy life if possible.” Braden let out a ragged breath. “I feel like when I do take over, I’ll be rushed into a marriage. Mom will want heirs and shit.” He dropped his head back. “I just want Freya right now. She’d make this all better.”
“Do you think she’s awake?” I asked, reaching into my pocket for my phone. I sent her a text, relieved to see that she responded quickly. Braden was looking at me and I glanced at him. “She told us to come up. It’s a bit safer that way. Will Mom leave us alone?”
“I sure as fuck hope so,” he told me as he leaned forward. “We’ll come back down when we’re done. We can’t sleep up there, not when things are like this.” We finished the scotch and made our way quietly upstairs. Freya opened her door to let us in, closing and locking it behind her. Once we were alone, she hugged us both and told us that she was happy about the news of Dad’s possible recovery.
“How did you know?” Braden asked her after kissing her cheek.
“Helen filled me in. I asked as well, but she knows that I spend some time with the queen.” I looked her over, dressed in a pair of small shorts and a tank top. She looked sexy as hell and I wanted to pound the hell out of her. I had a lot of stress to release. “I’ve been worried about you both.”
“You’ve been on our minds,” I assured her, walking forward to cup her face. “I’ve thought about being inside of you for days.” I kissed her hard and Fr
eya wrapped her arms around my waist. It didn’t take long for the kiss to get heavy, not with my stress. I led her to the bed, stripping off her shirt and pushing her back. “Can we both have you tonight?’ I pressed my mouth against her pert skin and sucked her into my mouth as she arched her back.
“Yes,” Freya breathed as I rolled us over so she was pressed over me. I knew that Braden would have some this way, and I heard a moan as she dropped over me. I kept sucking as I felt movement between her legs, biting down a few times as she whimpered softly. “Oh, God.” I glanced down her body to see Braden crouched down with his head between her legs, devouring her. I slipped a hand up her body, cupping the breast that I wasn’t sucking so she would have all pleasure. I knew that she came for Braden when I felt her body jerk. I was biting her at the same time, loving her raw response.
When she was still, Braden pulled back and kissed the damp skin of her back. My cock was nearly tearing through my slacks and I rolled her slowly to tug them off. Braden and I shared a look as he did the same, moving around the bed. Freya looked at me silently as I asked her to get back on her knees. She took a moment but did, raising her ass for me as Braden lined his cock up with her mouth. I slipped a condom on before squeezing her ass, watching as she bobbed against my brother. His eyes were closed, and hands wrapped in her hair. It was the hottest threesome we’d ever had. I placed my cock at her entrance and drove inside as she moaned around Braden. I gripped her hips, rocking back inside as he began fucking her mouth in an opposite rhythm. I loved watching her rock back against me and held her tight as I fucked her until she came around my cock, following her as I saw my brother’s face. He was close, and, in another thrust, Freya was moaning as he filled her throat.
When we moved away from her, Freya slipped to the mattress. She was spent, and I felt adrenaline replacing the stress in my body. I moved to the floor, leaning over the mattress as Braden sat in front of her, stroking her hair back. We moved together, resting in the bed together as we filled her in on all the details. It was late when I looked at the clock and gazed down at a sleeping Freya. The second round had done her in, and she passed out shortly after we were done.
“We should leave,” Braden said as I looked at him. We were equally spent along with the emotions of the last few days. I just didn’t want to sleep without her.
“I don’t want to. She makes me feel better,” I told him as he nodded in agreement. “She can’t get caught. We can’t get caught.” There was a small part of me that wondered if there was a chance for this to go public and work, but how the fuck could we ask Freya to choose one of us? Even if she did, we were royalty and would marry into that. We were lucky that we got to make the choice considering how many marriages were arranged.
I pushed the asinine idea away as we left her room. We’d dressed quietly and locked her door for her as we stood in the dim hallway for a moment. It seemed quiet, and we walked down the stairs in bare feet, still paying close attention to any sounds.
Nothing.
Once we were on the second floor, we made our way to our rooms to disappear behind the doors. I dropped my shoes on the floor and stripped again to lay down in bed. Fuck, I wanted to sleep in her arms. I wanted to take her outside and walk, holding hands and talking. There was no possible way I was falling for Freya or that I even could. It felt amazing to be with her, feeling her as she serviced my brother. It was an intense situation to begin with. It would end at some point.
I slept hard, possibly from the sex and the stress. When I woke up, the sun had been up for some time and I let out a slow breath.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Braden
It was the weekend before I knew it. Mom was bustling around telling the staff to be ready for guests and I stood in my room dressed in black slacks with a gray shirt. A tie in both colors was around my neck as I raked a hand through my hair. I understood that Mom was social but to have a dinner like this when Dad was still sick seemed cruel to me. It was too much for all of us.
Still, I went downstairs to the formal dining room with Callin at six. We had not spoken to Freya since a quick tryst the night before and I had no idea what she was doing tonight. I shouldn’t care but I did.
Mom was in the corner of the room, sipping wine with a couple. I glanced over, realizing that it was a new royal family from Italy. Their king had passed, and the son took over. That was not as noticeable as the two women that spoke close together in the corner. They were both strawberry blonde and tall with curves, dressed in similar green dresses. Any other night and I’d be up for a quick night in my room with them. Tonight, was different for many reasons to me.
We joined Mom, meeting the mother and the new King as we drank scotch on the rocks. They were pleasant people and Mom beamed as the sisters came over to meet us. Lisa and Jane were their names, and they appeared to be in their late teens. I hoped that they were legal even if I wasn’t going to touch them. Some people still favored getting married young so there would be more time for a family.
We made our way to the table, set with our finest china, and decorated with fresh flowers. Helen brought in our soup for the first course, smiling warmly at everyone. It was good just like everything else the cook prepared but I wasn’t into tonight. I knew that the sisters were conveniently seated beside us, and I gazed at Callin across the table as I sipped my drink. Mom chatted about Italy and places that she loved to visit there. She was charming as always and seemed to be over the worry about our father. She was always good at faking, so it was hard to tell.
The main course dragged, and I had another drink, feeling a little lightheaded. I talked to the new king about responsibilities and how he was settling in to the new surroundings as they had been living in Sweden for a few years. He was a pleasant enough man but reeked of a life I didn’t want yet. I was grateful when dessert was served, and we were closer to being able to leave the first floor.
Mom asked Helen for coffee and kept the conversation going, shooting looks at Callin and me. The girls were quiet beside us, but I felt her hand on my leg a couple times throughout the meal. I pushed it away, continuing our conversation until everyone finally left. Mom walked back into the room in her heels as they clicked on the wooden floor.
“Why do I try with you boys? They were lovely girls.” I rolled my eyes.
“Sure, they were. We just found out that Dad has a chance of getting better and I’m not ready for this. Stop pushing it.” My anger was clear in my voice as she stepped back with wide eyes.
“Braden. How could you talk to me that way?” She asked as something flashed in her eyes.
“He’s tired, Mom. We both are. Let us catch up to life before this starts up again.” Callin defended me as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Give us some space. Please.”
“Fine. Take it.” She turned and walked out of the room towards her room. I watched her in silence, not sure how to feel. I was glad that I told her the truth, but it hurt as well. I knew that she was going through a lot right now. Our love lives shouldn’t matter this much. I turned to walk upstairs and Callin followed me, pulling off his blue tie. I paused on the second floor before heading to the stairs, feeling Callin grab my arm.
“She might come looking for us.” His voice was gentle, and I knew that he was right. Mom used to try to talk to us to keep the peace, but we were all twisted inside right now.
“I don’t care. I need Freya.” I returned as I headed up the stairs. He followed me, and I pulled my own tie off, my mind racing with ideas. When I reached her door in the quiet hallway, I tried the knob to find that it was locked. We told her to do this, and I was glad, but I still rested my head against the wood. I almost fell forward when it was opened, and Freya was standing there, looking at us with a smile.
“Are you okay?” She asked softly as I pushed her into the room, followed by Callin. Concern flooded her beautiful face as I turned to press her to the wall, kissing her hard as she gasped. Callin moved as I pulled her against me, carrying her t
o the bed. I kept her upright as I ravaged her mouth as he moved behind her, kissing her neck roughly. He tugged her shirt over her head and cupped her breasts as she kissed me hungrily, struggling with her breathing.
It was Freya that removed her bottoms, leaving her bare to us. I stared at her, seeing willingness to please us as my cock hardened in my pants. She dropped down back between us, telling us to get our clothes off. We moved, throwing the formal shirts and slacks to the floor before we looked at her.
It was Callin that spread her legs for us, typing one ankle to the frame with his tie and the other with a random scarf hanging on the wall. I used my tie to wrap her hands and tie them to the headboard as she stared at me.
“Do you trust me?” I asked as she nodded. “We won’t hurt you, Freya. We just need to feel you right now.” I leaned down to press a kiss to her lips, feeling her relax below me. I kept it going, allowing Callin to prepare her for us. Freya moaned, and I assumed that he was touching her pussy, since my hand was stroking her breasts. Her nipples were hard and ready for us, making me take one and tug it as our tongues swirled together. My emotions swirled with desire as my cock throbbed to be sucked or fucked. I needed to come.
I heard Callin between her legs, lapping lustfully as she moaned. I covered her mouth with my hand and sucked one nipple into my mouth, followed by the other. I bit and tugged, hearing her voice under my mouth. I wanted to be careful with this and teased her for a few more seconds before moving up. I straddled her chest and slipped my cock over her swollen lips. She parted them, and I pressed inside, feeling her wet warmth wrap around me. I moved slowly so she could adjust as her moans vibrated against my skin.
Glancing back at Callin, I could see that he was slipping a condom over his cock. He looked up at me and pushed her legs up, pressing his body against her as he entered her. Freya whimpered as I moved slowly into her mouth. I stroked her bound arm slowly as she arched, allowing Callin deeper inside. I slowly increased my thrusts, feeling her wrap around me as I closed my eyes. Callin and I moved in sync, unspoken but rough and she moaned louder. I knew that I was close to exploding in her throat, but I waited until she was breaking apart. She came hard, her moans long and slow before I jerked inside, coating her throat.