Je Suis a Toi (Monsters in the Dark #3.5)(13)

I swallowed my laughter.

Damn Suzette and her meddling.

One of these days, I would book her and Franco a trip and ensure an entire hotel floor was unoccupied with the veiled innuendo that they could be as loud and as adventurous as they liked with no neighbours to hear them.

Q growled under his breath. “She’s always taken too many liberties that woman.”

This time, I couldn’t stop my giggle. “I’ll make sure she has payback. Don’t you worry.”

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask. He was wise. Women business should stay women business. Just like whatever he spoke about with Frederick was his.

Speaking of Frederick.

Q opened the door to our suite while I hung back to talk to our guide. “Everyone arrived okay?”

The boy nodded. “Yes. Your guests settled in about four hours ago. They’ve arranged for dinner and drinks to be served in the great hall at six p.m.”

“Dinner?” Q popped his head back out. “How many are attending?”

I patted his chest. “Don’t you worry about that. This is your surprise, and I intend to surprise you.”

His eyes narrowed. “Tess…”

“No. You will not badger me into telling you. Trust me, Q. You’ll like my surprises. I know you, remember? I wouldn’t do anything to make you uncomfortable.”

Okay, maybe one thing…

But apart from that tiny inconvenience, the rest of the week would be purely perfect.





TRUSTING TESS AND her orchestration of the next few days—with no guessing what she’d planned—was hard. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her. I just wouldn’t put anything past her.

Look at our f*cking wedding.

That had been ruined by Suzette and Franco thinking they had the right to strip Tess at the altar and give me the leash to her collar.

It worked because of our lifestyle.

But it wasn’t their place to do such a thing. Even though I appreciated and loved them for wanting me to accept that part of me. I got it. I did. And for the most part, I was grateful. But it also made me very f*cking wary about social functions run by others.

Tess sat opposite me in a gown I’d never seen. We had a seamstress and suit maker on our books, so it didn’t surprise me that the gold silk clung to her figure with skilful precision.

Suzette and Angelique sat beside her at the large banquet table while Franco and Frederick sat on my side. The six of us had indulged in a decadent meal of pumpkin soup for a starter, pheasant and roasted vegetables for a main, and finished with a decadent tiramisu for dessert.

Since we’d arrived, everything had been relaxing and calm. Our room overlooked the aqueduct flowing into the valley below, and our bed was even bigger than our one at home with the convenience of a four-poster with thick swaddling curtains to cocoon us. The giant fireplace roared and was kept stoked by attentive servants, and the large claw-foot bath by the balcony would be used at some point during our stay.

The castle was quiet and straddled modern and history with seamless charm. We hadn’t explored much, but there was always tomorrow.

Sipping on a fine glass of aged whiskey, I chuckled as Franco acted out the bumpy landing they’d endured in the helicopter before we’d arrived. I wasn’t surprised. The valley here would’ve been havoc with wind thermals.

Tess and I remained quiet, letting the others do the entertaining.

The staff cleared the table, appearing and disappearing effortlessly. It felt as if we were alone and in a private sanctuary rather than a cavernous castle.

Finishing his wine, Frederick stood up, helping Angelique to her feet with a doting smile. They made a handsome couple with their svelte frames and similar features. I didn’t have many close friends, but those I did, I cherished.

“Let’s play a few parlour games. What do you say?” Frederick clapped his hands, encouraging us to stand.

Tess rolled her eyes as Franco plucked Suzette from her chair.

“I don’t think monopoly or scrabble are what most of us have in mind tonight.” Tess murmured too low for anyone but me to hear as she came toward my side.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, it came off as kind and loving, but the fierce way I glued her to my side spoke of domination and desire. “Shall we retire and find our own entertainment?” I whispered in her ear.

She smiled coyly. “I think that’s a—”

“Come on. No excuses. A few games together and then we’ll head to bed.” Frederick in his bossiness didn’t let us say no.

With a mixture of grumbles and half-hearted hesitation, he ferried us into the room attached to the great hall and motioned us to sit in the mismatch velour love-seats and wingbacks grouped together around a low coffee table. Nestled by the chairs were a whiteboard, markers, and other paraphernalia.

“What the hell are you planning, mon ami?” I asked, reluctantly letting Tess pull me onto a love-seat with her.

Angelique answered for him, tugging her long dark hair over her shoulder. “Well, we’re in a castle. We thought it would be fun to play some of the parlour games that would’ve been their entertainment back in the day.”

I groaned dramatically. “I’d much rather drink.” I pinched Tess beside me, hissing in her ear. “And then play with you.”

She swatted my hand, fighting a smile. “Behave.”