Broken Butterfly: MMF Bisexual Romance (Mundane Magic Book 1)

by Maxene Novak

  “What do we do now?” Belle asked timidly.

  “Same thing we do every day, darlin’. Just try to keep living.”

  Colt kissed her, then Ruger, and the trio drifted away into blissful morning dreams.

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  Read your FREE book – Au Pair. The book can be found under the Broken Butterfly Disclaimer. It is an older work; thus, I admit it is not my best. Furthermore, I have not taken it through the editing processes so there will be some mistakes. However, I still think you will enjoy it and I wanted to add it in here, at no cost to you!

  Broken Butterfly

  © 2016

  Disclaimer

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and events are all fictitious for the reader’s pleasure. Any similarities to real people, places, events, living or dead are all coincidental.

  This book contains sexually explicit content that is intended for ADULTS ONLY (+18).

  Read your FREE book Au Pair Below

  FREE BOOK: Au Pair

  Maxene Novak

  © 2016

  Disclaimer

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and events are all fictitious for the reader’s pleasure. Any similarities to real people, places, events, living or dead are all coincidental.

  This book contains sexually explicit content that is intended for ADULTS ONLY (+18).

  One

  Max gripped his bag in his hand and took the first step down from the plane. The wind whipped his open button up around his body as he made his way to the ground. His foot on the concrete took him somewhere else.

  He found himself thinking of his father. Growing up, his father had taken him in every other year. There was no way to ignore the familiar feeling of touching ground. It brought him back to his teen years. Seeing his father waving at him, welcoming him to America. Showing off how much French he’d learned since Max had last seen him. Max would have given anything to see the man one more time.

  He forced himself to keep it together. He wasn’t here to fall to pieces on the runway. He was here for a job – a job that he was actually looking forward to.

  Max entered the airport terminal with a stomach full of butterflies. All around him, people buzzed with energy. A small child clutched her teddy bear and struggled to keep up with her father. A woman held her phone out to take a selfie with her girlfriends. Max stood still for a moment, taking it all in. He’d missed being in America.

  For the past three years, he’d remained in Colmar with his mother. Despite the unfavorable circumstances, Renee had enjoyed every moment with him. She had her boy back, and damn it, she was going to make the most of their time together. Much like his father, Max missed his mother as well.

  Before doing anything else, Max walked to a small coffee shop and ordered a cup to wake himself up. Sleep had been nearly impossible and he wanted to look alert and well-rested on the first day of his job. Max took his cup with a gracious,

  “Merci.”

  As he walked through the terminal, he sipped from the scalding cup. It burned his tongue, but he didn’t mind. The pain was nice, in a way. It woke him up. Max surveyed the spacious room until he spotted the familiar face.

  Andrew Noble. The instant he saw the older man, Max couldn’t help but recall what his mother had said months earlier. They’d been looking over the family to see what the Nobles were like when she spotted a picture of the father. Andrew’s broad shoulders barely fit inside his purple polo, and his brown hair was clipped close to his ears. He had a beard teetering on the border of styled and unkempt, and his glasses hung precariously from his nose.

  Andrew looked around until he met eyes with Max. His lips pulled into a smile and he waved eagerly. Max dipped his head in acknowledgement and dragged his bag behind him. When he was closer, Andrew stuck out his hand to take the bag.

  “Let me help you with that,” he offered. Max didn’t have any qualms handing it over. The thing weighed nearly thirty pounds.

  “Thank you,” he smiled bashfully.

  “It’s the least I can do.” Andrew stood back and looked him over. “Maxime Moreau. It’s so good to finally meet you in person.”

  A self-conscious wave rolled over him. He chewed on his bottom lip and looked up to meet Andrew’s gaze. “Max is fine, actually. Maxime sounds so formal.”

  “Aha, Max it is, then. And you can call me Drew if you’d like.”

  Max smirked, “Drew it is, then.”

  “I know it’s kind of sudden, but would you mind getting some breakfast with me? I wanna go over a few more questions before we head back to the house.” Before Max could even think about how much money he could spare, Drew added, “I’ll buy.”

  “Now we’re talking,” Max chuckled. He followed behind Drew as the man led the way towards a small café at the other end of the terminal. It was busy, but luckily they managed to find a small table in the back of the room. The waitress took their orders as they got comfortable in their seats.

  Drew cleared his throat and took a sip from his lemon water. “So, Max. I don’t think I can tell you enough how impressed Gabby and I were with your resume. For someone so young, you have quite the amount of experience with children.”

  Max nodded, “Yeah, I was an only child. I always wanted younger brothers and sisters, but my mom told me after what I did to her, she was never going to give me a sibling.” He chuckled softly at the thought of his mother’s words. “I threw myself into babysitting gigs. It was a great way to form the sibling relationship but also get paid for it.” Max cut himself off. He could feel a bout of ramblings coming on.

  “I saw that you also went to college for child’s psychology. Why didn’t you finish the degree program?” Drew asked, his head tilting to the side.

  Max had expected this question, and he’d already come up with a short, concise answer. “Life. I had some problems at home, and things just… They kind of changed for me. I couldn’t focus on school anymore. It really sucked, because I’d always dreamed of that kind of career. When my folks split, I saw a kiddie therapist and I knew in that moment that I wanted to do what she did.”

  Drew nodded and smiled softly. “It’s an admirable career. It improves the lives of so many people.”

  “Kind of like being a professor,” Max said coyly. Drew, an English professor, let out a hearty laugh.

  “You sound like some of my students trying to get an extra bump in th
eir grade,” he teased.

  “Is it working?”

  “It is, actually.” Drew thanked the waitress when she returned with his hot chocolate and his muffin. He waited until the woman had placed down Max’s yogurt bowl before he began eating. As they ate, Drew continued asking Max questions. He wanted to know what Max was like when he was frustrated. He wanted to know how the younger man would react under pressure and stress.

  Max answered all of the questions with ease. This wasn’t his first gig as an au pair, and he doubted it would be his last, either. He loved his job. There was very little that was more rewarding than helping out parents who focused all of their energy on providing for their kids. Sure, some considered his job to be nothing more than a glorified, over-priced nanny, but he didn’t see any fault in that. This glorified, over-priced nanny had been to Germany, Russia, and Canada in the past three years. He was just fine being insulted by people who had never left the state, let alone the country.

  After breakfast, Drew helped Max carry his bag to the car. He placed the bag in the back and waited until Max was situated and had his seatbelt on before he started up the car. The drive back took a minute, and in the meantime, Drew encouraged Max to set up his music and play something from one of his playlists. Max scrolled through his phone until he found his favorite to listen to while he drove.

  They arrived at the Noble house in no time. Max had never been to Huntington Beach before, but just from looking outside as they drove, he didn’t have any complaints. The scenery was worth taking plenty of pictures once he got the chance.

  “Here we are,” Drew announced, pulling the car into the driveway. Max looked out through the windows to take in the sight of the house. It was just as beautiful as the other house in the neighborhood, a gray stone and white wood paneled castle with a white picket fence and a tree in the front. It was the picture-perfect place to live.

  Max followed Drew inside, his stomach churning. He always got nervous meeting with the rest of the family. He wanted to make a good impression and seem full of energy and eagerness to work. Max straightened himself up as he walked inside. He wore a smile from ear to ear.

  “Hey, Gabby, Izzy, come meet Max!” Drew placed Max’s bag by the door and put a strong hand on his shoulder. Max was by no means lanky, but his swimmer body resembled a stick compared to Drew.

  It didn’t take long for Max to hear a pair footsteps. It came from a pair of heels in the kitchen. Max wondered who wore heels in the house if they didn’t have to. When he saw Gabby, however, it all made sense. She carried a briefcase in her hands and her black sunglasses were perched high on her face. She was breathtaking in her tailored skirt suit.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” she smiled, sticking her hand out. “I’m Gabriella, but you can call me Gabby.”

  “Max,” he said, shaking her hand. “Are you headed for work or do you lounge around the house looking like a suit model?”

  Gabby laughed demurely. “I’m about to head out now, actually. I promise, we’ll get to know each other as soon as I get home.” She gave Drew a peck on the cheek and turned back to the hallway. “Izzy!”

  A toddler with a tangle of curly brown hair came running from the living room. She brushed her hair back from her face and looked up at Max with wonder in his eyes. Before Max could introduce himself, she ran to her mother and gave her a hug.

  “I’ll see you three later,” Gabby promised. She gave a small wave and hurried out of the door. Drew locked it behind her. He smiled at the other two.

  “Hey, Izzy. ‘Member when Daddy said you’d be getting a new friend to have around the house? Say hello to your new friend,” Drew said.

  Izzy smiled bashfully. “Hi!”

  Max squatted down to get on eye level with the girl. “Hi, Izzy. My name’s Max. How are you?”

  “I’m goooood,” she said, looking between the two of the men. “Daddy, he’s tall! He can reach all the snacks on top of the fridge for me.” Izzy lacked any kind of tact when it came to whispering, but Max found it endearing.

  Drew chuckled. “He probably can, but only if you behave. Now, why don’t you go get all your toys and I’ll start the water for you in a minute?”

  Izzy nodded and hurried back into the living room to get some toys for her bath. Max smiled and shook his head. The four year old had an amount of energy that Max was jealous of. He stood up and looked around at the rest of the house with Drew.

  “I should probably also show you your room,” Drew said. He slung the bag over his shoulders and headed upstairs. At the end of the hall, Drew opened a room and stepped aside. Max entered and looked around at the muted grey and white room. There were a few pieces of furniture that added a splash of color. He ran his hand over the bright red computer desk.

  “This is beautiful,” he said, looking over his shoulder.

  “I’m glad you like it! We would have made it your favorite color, but we forgot to ask before it was too late. I hope you don’t mind the bright furniture.”

  “No way, I love it,” Max smiled. He took the bag from Drew and placed it on the bed in the corner of the room. It was a queen, bigger than the full size he had back home, and the sheets were even softer than they looked.

  “I’ll give you a few minutes to get settled in. Gotta give Izzy her bath and try to get her to school before it’s too late.” Drew excused himself from the room, closing the door.

  Now alone, Max took a better look around the room. He started with the bookshelf in the corner, running his hands over the spines of all the classic novels he’d never read before. The closet was empty save for a few dozen hangers. The personal bathroom was actually a surprise to him. He found unopened packages of body wash, tooth paste, brushes, and air freshener. It was like staying in a hotel room.

  Max took a seat on the bed and smiled to himself. His phone rang in his pocket.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  “Hi, mon cher,” his mother exclaimed. The sound of her voice reminded him of home. It almost made him want to run back to her. “How was your flight?”

  “It wasn’t so bad! I got a lot of reading in,” he lied. He’d played on the computer more than anything else, but he’d promised he’d read a lot of good books and come back home with plenty of suggestions for her.

  “That’s good! Is the family nice?”

  “I just met with them, but they seem really nice, yeah. The little girl is adorable.”

  “It’s a safe neighborhood, right?”

  Max rolled his eyes lately. Renee asked him these questions every time he got settled into a new household. He could easily predict her next question. “Yes, Mom, it’s a safe neighborhood. The place is practically gated,” he chuckled.

  “You know I only ask because I’m concerned,” Renee said lightly. “I’m proud of you for going back after… After your father.”

  “Yeah,” Max murmured. It had been three years since he’d been back to America. Three years since his father had died. Rather than allowing himself to drive down this familiar road of self-inflicted sorrow, he cleared his throat and began unpacking.

  “It’ll be good for you, I know that,” Renee said.

  “I think so, too. Listen, I’ve gotta get unpacked, but I’ll call you later on, okay?”

  “I’ll be waiting! Talk to you soon.”

  “Soon,” Max promised. He said his goodbyes and hung up the phone. He placed it on the desk and began unpacking all of the clothes he’d brought with him. Soon, his closet was full of his favorite outfits. He removed his laptop and set it aside on the desk, then finished emptying out all of his other essentials, like his mementos from home. By the time he was finished, the room looked a lot more lived in.

  Max headed to the bathroom and washed up his face. He patted his cheeks dry and took a hard look in the mirror.

  “You’ll be fine,” he told himself. He’d done this job a million times before. He’d live with the Nobles for a few months, meet a lot of new and amazing people, and head home wi
th a story to tell. Maybe he’d never get over what happened to his father, but the least he could do was enjoy himself for the time being. Max looked at himself for another long moment before he smiled.

  He flicked off the lights and headed downstairs to see how things with Drew and Izzy were going.

  Two

  That night, Max watched Gabby and Drew move around the kitchen preparing dinner for everyone. He’d offered to help cook, but they’d informed him that they didn’t want him cooking – at least on the first night. He was the guest, and he’d already been through enough getting to America in the first place. It was sweet of them, Max thought.

  Gabby carried a large bowl of salad and placed in on the dining table. Max positioned it in the middle for her. She returned to the oven and removed the lasagna as well. Drew had started cooking it earlier in the afternoon for her to finish tonight. They were like a well-oiled machine. Drew sat a plate in front of Max and smiled down at him.

  “You’re gonna love her lasagna. It was a recipe my mother taught me, but I could never get it right. Everyone in Gabby’s house can cook, so my Nan thought it’d be smarter to teach her how to make the family recipe,” he chuckled.

  Gabby looked over her shoulder at them and winked. In just a short amount of time, Max had learned that Gabby was a first-generation Mexican-American and that she came from a huge family of cooks. They made all of their meals together, and food became more of a bonding activity than anything else.

  “You said your mother’s a cook, right, Max?” she asked. She handed him a napkin.

  “Well, a pastry chef, but she can cook a few things as well.” Renee had dedicated her life to the art of baking, which meant Max’s birthday parties were always the best out of all of his friends. Each of the cupcakes she’d made for him and his friends had been made with complete love.