Chapter 7

CHAPTERSEVEN

I love surprises.

And I love being spoiled.

I mean, hello, have you met my dad?

They don’t call us princesses for nothing.

~ Chloé

CHLOÉ PUSHED THROUGH the revolving door of JULIEN and hiked her bag up her shoulder. It was Tuesday night, and for once in her life she was on time for dinner service.

Actually, scratch that. Ever since she’d started seeing Ethan and Zayne, she’d been pretty punctual. Not because of anything she was doing, but because they had driver who took her everywhere, so there was really no excuse for her to ever be late again—or to drive around her old clunker, which she’d finally decided to all but give away to some unfortunate soul.

Well, not that unfortunate. She’d had to pay a pretty penny to get it up and running, so in her estimation, they should at least get a few months out of it before they decided they’d be better off looking for other forms of transportation. But still, it was one less headache for her.

Chloé made her way through the main dining room and waved at several of the staff she’d be working with tonight, and then her eyes caught on a familiar dark head at the bar.

“Well, if it isn’t my elusive brother. I wasn’t sure I’d see you tonight. Where have you been?”

Justin turned, his easygoing smile in place, a bottle of gin in hand.

“I’ve been working.” He placed the bottle on the bar and braced his hands on the counter. “Not everyone can find themselves two sugar daddies to look after them.”

Chloé screwed her nose up as she hefted her bag onto the barstool. “I have enough ‘daddies,’ thank you very much. I also have a job that pays very well. So I don’t need anyone to look after me.” Justin arched a brow, and she added, “I just like when they do.”

He snorted as she grinned and climbed up onto one of the stools.

“Seriously, though, you’ve missed the last few pasta nights and a couple nights here at the restaurant. Are you sure you’re not avoiding me?”

A crooked grin tugged at his lips as he came around to take the seat beside her. “Like I said, I’ve been working. You know this time of the year is slammed. Between testing, grading, and graduation, the end of the school year is always insane.”

“I know.” Chloé swiveled on her seat to look at him. “It’s just… I really want you to meet Ethan and Zayne, and you’re always MIA. They’re starting to think you’re avoiding them.”

“They’re starting to think that?”

Chloé rolled her eyes. “Nooo. I am, okay?”

“And why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, I just—”

“Just…?”

“I don’t know. I thought you might disapprove or something.”

“Of Ethan and Zayne?”

“Well, them, the relationship—I told you, I don’t know.”

“Why would I disapprove? I don’t even know them.”

He had a point, and it wasn’t like Justin was a prude. He’d grown up in the same family she had. But no matter how many times she’d told herself he was busy or on a date, she still couldn’t help but feel a little hurt by the fact that he hadn’t made time to meet the two new men in her life.

When she didn’t immediately respond, Justin scooted in a little closer to her.

“Look, why don’t I clear my schedule tomorrow? I’ll make sure to get all my work done early, and I’ll come to pasta night and meet your guys.”

Chloé immediately perked up. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Justin shrugged. “I’m sure I can swing it. After all, they aren’t truly accepted into the family until they’ve met all of the men in your life.”

“Exactly, and I think you’re going to really like them.”

“I don’t see why not. I already told you I was impressed that they were brave enough to have dinner with the parentals.”

“They were, and you know what?”

“What?”

“They even managed to win over Papa.”

Justin sat back and eyed her closely. “Really? Papa likes them?”

Likemight’ve been too strong of a word. He’d definitely warmed up to Zayne—Ethan, however, Papa still seemed a little wary of. But one out of two wasn’t bad, and Justin didn’t need to know that.

“He does, and Dad and Père are the best, as always.”

“So in other words, Papa is polite, which means he may or may not like them, and Dad and Père make sure he is on his best behavior.”

When Chloé’s grin fell, Justin chuckled.

“Come on, I’m just messing with you. I’m sure our fathers like your guys a whole lot.”

“You think?”

“Well, they’re not dead yet, are they?”

“You’re so funny.” Chloé shoved him in the arm. “But no, they’re not.”

“So there you go. You don’t need my approval. You have theirs.”

“I know I don’t need it, but I want it. Well, not your approval, but I want you to come and meet them. I live with these guys—aren’t you curious?”

Justin slipped off the stool and headed back around the bar. “I am curious. Especially after your impromptu trip to Paris. That’s some courtship you’ve had there.”

No kidding. Talk about wining and dining her. She’d never been more spoiled in her life. But still…

“That was mainly to avoid Zayne’s horrible father and reporters.” Chloé thought about the days walking along the river Seine and picnicking in the park under the watchful eye of the Eiffel Tower. “But it was amazing. Like a dream. There’s nowhere in the world like Paris.”

Justin smirked. “It always was your first love.”

“Oui, and you were my second.”

Justin’s expression turned serious as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. “You’re trying to make me feel guilty now, aren’t you?”

“No.” Chloé pushed up from the stool and reached over to touch his arm. “But you know how much your opinion means to me. From the moment you walked in my life, I’ve been trying to impress you.”

Justin snorted. “More like you’ve been tying me around your little finger, and it works every time. I’ll be there tomorrow night to meet your guys.”

Chloé beamed at him. “I’m so excited. I can’t wait to tell them.”

Justin picked up the bottle of gin and pointed it at her. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to like them.”

“I know. But it’s a start. Oh, by the way, did Père tell you he is giving me a chance at my own menu?”

“No. Oh my God, Chloé. That’s amazing.”

“I know. I’m so nervous, but I’m determined to come up with something out of this world.”

“And you will. You’ve trained under Père your whole life. You can totally rock this.”

“Thank you. I think I needed that.”

“What?”

“The boost of confidence. I was getting a little up in my head about it all.”

“Well, don’t. He wouldn’t have brought it up if he didn’t think you were capable.”

“Love you,” she said as she slipped off the stool and her phone buzzed.

“Love you too, kiddo.”

As she headed for the kitchens, she pulled her phone free, and the text from Ethan had her excitement growing even more.

Ethan

Bonsoir, gorgeous. I just wanted you to know I’m thinking about you, and that I have a surprise waiting for you tonight when you get home.

Chloé stopped in the back hallway and moved aside, grinning to herself.

A surprise? I LOVE surprises.

Ethan

I know. And I think you’re going to love this one. Have a good night, petite fille. We’ll see you when you get home.

Home… Chloé brought her phone to her chest and hugged it like it was the man texting her.

She hadn’t been lying when she’d told Justin he was going to like Ethan and Zayne. If there was one thing her brother couldn’t resist, it was a kind, caring, and gorgeous man—and she just happened to have two of them.

* * *

THE LIGHTS SHIMMERED across the pool. Zayne lounged on one of the steps in the deep end, his arms propped up on the edge as he twirled a glass of scotch between his fingers.

He was enjoying a late-summer night swim, something he hadn’t done for a while, and as he relaxed in the cool water, he closed his eyes and thought about what an amazing time they’d had the last few days.

Inviting Chloé to live with them had been one of the smartest things they’d ever done. She’d settled in immediately, fitting in with the two of them as though she was always meant to be there. The final piece to their complicated puzzle.

He looked across the grounds to the main gate of the property and had to admit that he couldn’t wait to see their car appear with her in it.

She was at work tonight, back in the city, and with Ethan still finishing up some paperwork of his own down there in the cabana, Zayne had decided he’d pass the time out in the pool.

With the sun set on what had to have been one of the most perfect summer days, the night sky now showcased a splash of sparkling stars that seemed to light up the grounds all on their own. And combined with the subtle lighting of the estate, the pool at night was one of his favorite places.

As he took a sip of his scotch, he heard the sound of the cabana’s door open and turned to see Ethan step outside.

Clearly finished with work for the day, Ethan had stripped out of the linen shirt he’d worn down here and was left in only his shorts and flip-flops, and he looked fucking amazing.

“Well, you seem nice and relaxed out here.”

Zayne swirled the remainder of the alcohol around his glass. “I feel it too.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Balmy night, glistening water, and a glass of scotch. I’m about as relaxed as I could be right now.”

“You’re right, that does sound like the perfect way to unwind.”

“Then come and unwind,” he said, eyeing Ethan’s shorts. “You sitting naked beside me would make everything that much better.”

“You think so? I would think that would make you rather…tense.”

“Probably. But I’m willing to risk it. Maybe it’ll lead to extra relaxation if I play my cards right.”

Ethan chuckled. “And what cards are those?”

“Whatever you tell me they are.”

“That’s a very generous offer.”

Zayne’s cock stiffened in his tight black swim shorts as he thought of all the things he’d like to do to Ethan.

“What can I say, I’m in a very generous mood. Hell, I might even be a little drunk. I have been out here drinking alone all night.”

“I see.” Ethan looked at the half-empty bottle. “Are you feeling a little bit neglected tonight…Z?”

Okay, that definitely made his dick tense. His nickname falling off Ethan’s tongue made him regret the swim shorts now doing their best to strangle his cock.

Zayne drained the rest of his scotch and placed the glass out of the way.

“I asked you a question,” Ethan reminded him, since Zayne’s brain cells had up and vanished. “Are you feeling neglected out here?”

“Not neglected, but it’s a beautiful night and Chloé’s at work and you’re on your computer, and I’m—”

Zayne’s thought process left him as Ethan reached down and curled his fingers around his stiff length.

“Out here all alone?”

Zayne parted his lips to answer, but then he started thinking about taking Ethan between them, and nothing came out.

“Z?”

“Yeah, uh, I’m out here all alone, and that’s a damn shame.”

“I don’t know if it’s a shame…” Ethan looked around their huge property. “Being out here all alone affords us certain opportunities to do things we might not elsewhere. Don’t you think?”

Oh hell yes it did, and Zayne was up for any of them.

Right.

Fucking.

Now.

“Hmm.” Ethan brought his eyes back to his, and the flames flickering in them made Zayne’s cock throb. “While I was busy working inside, I was watching you out here and remembered a conversation we had a couple of days ago. Do you remember it?”

Zayne hadn’t been lying about the scotch. He’d consumed a fair amount and was feeling a real nice buzz at this stage, so pinpointing what Ethan was getting at was a little difficult.

Luckily for him, Ethan was willing to elaborate.

“It was about a certain bench.”

Oh fuck. That’s right.They’d been making Chloé’s bookshelf, and Ethan reminded him about the bench he’d had Zayne construct one night, many moons ago. It was stored away in the cabana somewhere, he remembered now—and so did his dick.

“Get out of the pool, Z.”

Zayne pushed to his feet, and as the water sluiced over his body, Ethan’s eyes trailed down over him. They zeroed in on the soaked material clinging to his cock.

With their roles now firmly in place, he waited for his next instruction like the good fucking boy he was.

“Take them off.” Ethan waited for Zayne to follow his order. “I want to look at the body I’m going to be using tonight.”

Sweet fucking Jesus, Zayne hadn’t been prepared for this. But his balls tightened at the implication of what was about to happen as he hooked his fingers in his swim shorts and peeled them off.

When his thick erection came into view, Ethan gripped his own cock a little harder, and Zayne lowered his eyes and kept his hands at his sides, just as he’d been taught.

“Very good,” Ethan said as he walked closer. He reached out and drew a finger along the underside of Zayne’s shaft, and when it jerked, he hummed.

Fuuuck. That sound was so goddamn sexy, Zayne struggled to keep his hands at his side as Ethan trailed fingers up the V of his pelvis, over his hip, and around to his ass.

Zayne shut his eyes as Ethan walked around behind him, and when the hot, wet tip of a tongue dragged up the back of his neck, a shiver raced down his spine.

“Follow me.” Ethan walked off ahead of him, knowing Zayne would obey, and led them toward the cabana.

Zayne’s heart began to thump. Shit. He couldn’t remember the last time they’d played out here. It used to be a regular occurrence before they renovated their bedroom upstairs and opened the club. But the memories of being bound and restrained with the French doors wide, the summer breeze on his body, and the world potentially watching, had been an aphrodisiac like no other.

Ethan would spend hours teasing and tormenting his body, sometimes in the pool, sometimes on the grassy grounds, but most of the time right here in the main room of the cabana.

As they stepped inside, Zayne expected to see the usual couches surrounding the coffee table that overlooked the pool and grounds. But instead, the couches were gone and so was the table, and in their place were silky black sheets covering the floor, and the bench he’d made all those years ago.

It had four wooden legs and a flat leather padded surface, with sturdy metal rings at the front for Ethan to restrain him, and straps attached the back legs for the same reason.

It seemed Ethan had been doing morethan just work while he was in here. He’d been setting a scene, and holy fuck, what a scene it was. There was a table set up behind the bench with all kinds of toys and lubricants, and candles flickered around the room, creating a sensual mood that was straight out of all Zayne’s fuck fantasies.

“Wait right there.”

Zayne froze at the head of the bench, his eyes once again dropping to his feet, as Ethan walked around to the table at the other end. Zayne’s cock throbbed harder than ever as he heard Ethan pick something up.

“I’m going to ask you a question, and your answer will be the last decision you make for yourself tonight. Do you understand?”

“Yes, master.”

“Good boy. Now, raise your eyes.”

Zayne lifted his gaze until it connected with Ethan’s, and the desire swirling in those golden depths made Zayne’s body vibrate with need.

“Rope or cuffs?” Ethan held one of each in hand.

Christ, what kind of decision was that? But considering what he was about to be restrained to, Zayne decided to go with what they’d originally had in mind when they designed this piece of equipment.

“Cuffs.”

An immoral smirk curled Ethan’s lips. “Good choice. Now come with me.”

He turned on his heel, and like the well-trained sub Zayne was, he followed Ethan to the end of the bench and stopped where he was instructed to do so.

“Move into position.”

Zayne swallowed, knowing exactly what Ethan wanted. Sure, it’d been a while since they’d done this out here, but they sure as fuck had played on equipment like this in the house and at the club.

Zayne moved to the end of the bench and spread his legs as wide as its were. A second later he felt Ethan move in behind him, and just like outside by the pool, he dragged his tongue across the base of his neck, but this time he didn’t stop there. He trailed it down Zayne’s spine, stopping to flick it over his tailbone, then he scraped his teeth over his ass cheek and growled.

“I’m going to enjoy the hell out of this tonight.” Ethan landed a firm slap to the same cheek, and Zayne balled his fists at his sides as Ethan shifted in even further down behind him. The next thing he felt was the leather straps being fastened around his ankles.

Zayne closed his eyes and concentrated on even breaths as he tried to squash the arousal building in him. But with his feet now strapped to what was essentially a fuck bench, and Ethan drawing a finger up his crack, it was a difficult goddamn feat.

“You’re right. I was neglectful of you today. Spending all my time in here on the computer. But I’m going to make up for that now.” Ethan moved in until his thick erection was pressed up against Zayne’s ass. “I’m going to put all my energy into making sure you feel like you have every single ounce of my attention over the next…however long I decide.”

A shiver trembled through Zayne’s body. That promise sounded like the most delicious kind of threat, and he was ready.

Hell, if he was any readier, Ethan might punish him for coming early and he didn’t want that, so he dug his nails into his palms until they hurt.

“Now, be a good boy and bend the fuck over.”

* * *

ETHAN STARED DOWN at what had to be one of the most perfect visuals he’d seen in a long time. His boy Z, bent at a forty-five-degree angle over his old bench with his ankles strapped to the legs.

Fully naked, Zayne’s broad back and tight, round ass were on full display, and his beautiful tanned skin had Ethan itching to touch. That would come later, though; it would be his reward after Ethan got through with making him writhe in pleasure and disappear into that space that only existed for subs who were willing to go there—and Z certainly was.

Ethan glanced over at the clock on the wall to see that Chloé would be arriving home any minute now, and knew he’d set the scene perfectly.

When he and Zayne had headed down here tonight, he’d remembered their conversation during the week about the trouble they used to get up to in the cabana—and that had given him the idea for tonight. A walk down memory lane for Z and a sexy surprise for Chloé. It was the perfect way to show his subs a little love and attention, while also inviting their girl into their past and reshaping it to fit their new future.

Ethan picked up the cuffs and walked over to the front of the bench, where Zayne had his forehead pressed to the padding. Damn, the long line of his neck, back, and ass was a temptation that never got easier to resist.

But for the night to play out the way he wanted, Ethan would make himself resist.

“Left hand,” he ordered him, and Zayne immediately gave it.

For all of his sexy charm and rebellious swagger, when Zayne’s submissive side came out to play, his obedience was one of the things Ethan loved most about him. The willingness to submit to him—and only him.

Ethan secured the first cuff and then attached it to the hook at the head of the bench before securing the right—and just like clockwork, the second it clicked in place, the sound of their security gates opening echoed across the property.

He angled his boy’s face up so they were eye to eye. “That would be our girl coming home from a hard day at work. I definitely think she needs to unwind too, don’t you?”

Zayne licked his lips, his eyes flaring, and Ethan wondered if it was the thought of Chloé seeing him tied up and restrained that was turning him on—or if it was what was to come after.

If he knew Zayne, it was likely both.

“You wait here. We’ll be right back.”

A faint groan hit Ethan’s ears as he walked out of the pool house, leaving the French doors wide and Zayne trussed up on the bench like some sexual sacrifice for when they returned.

It was already a mind trip to be tied up and at someone’s mercy. But add in the possibility of discovery and no way out? It would all add to Zayne’s arousal. Ethan knew his boy, and Z got off on the thrill of the spotlight, even if he was tied up and being tormented for hours in it.

The headlights of their car lit up the drive as it came onto the property at a slow crawl, and Ethan made his way across the grounds toward it. He met their driver as he pulled up at the exact spot Ethan had instructed, then reached for the back door and opened it.

As the light inside washed over Chloé’s beautiful features, her cropped shirt and denim cut-offs came into view. Damn, that just might be his new favorite outfit on her. The shorts showed off her long legs. As Ethan drew his gaze down them, he felt his heart and cock begin to pound.

“Welcome home, petite fille.”

A gorgeous smile crossed her glossy lips as her eyes shifted over his shoulder and she looked out the door.

“Hi.” It was clear her curiosity was piqued as she spotted the pool lit up. “Are we going for a midnight swim?”

Ethan held his hand out to her, and she slipped hers inside. “Not just yet, but maybe after.”

“After?”

As she went to reach for her bag, Ethan said, “You can leave that there. You won’t need it.”

She climbed out of the SUV, and Ethan shut the door. Their driver immediately continued on toward the house.

“Yes. After. I told you. We have a surprise for you this evening. Or should I say, I have a surprise for you.”

Chloé’s brow furrowed, and her confusion was so cute that Ethan couldn’t help but lean in and brush a soft kiss across her lips.

She melted into him then, out there in the sultry summer night, her lips parting as he slipped his tongue inside and took a nice, long taste of her. Chloé placed her dainty hands on his chest to steady herself, and as he deepened the kiss, she moaned into his mouth.

When he finally raised his head and she looked up at him with dreamy eyes, he chucked her under the chin and nipped at her lower lip.

“Take off your shoes, petite fille.”

Chloé glanced down at her slip-ons and kicked them off, and Ethan led her onto the grass. She wriggled her toes in the soft blades and giggled.

“It tickles.”

“Mhmm. Feels good, though, doesn’t it?”

She nodded and did it again. “It does.”

Ethan watched her like that for a few seconds, soaking in her joy, her sweetness, the innocence she brought with her that was like a breath of fresh air. Especially when he knew what naughty little secrets she kept hidden behind it. Secrets he was about to unravel and enjoy.

“Chloé?”

Chloé raised her eyes back to his, and whatever she saw there had her biting down into her lip.

Yes, their girl knew exactly what his eyes were telling her, and who was now standing in front of her—her dom.

“Yes, sir.”

Ethan’s lip curled at her immediate compliance. For that alone, she deserved everything he was about to give her. But first… “Take off your clothes.”