210

The agreement with the King was that we’d spend weekends with them at the Palace and during the week I’d start taking over the duties at Mintia and run my territory. The castle had been renovated a year earlier and the day I proposed to Maya, new furniture and staff were sent there.

“This is some place.” Milo’s voice held just a hint of awe as I parked the SUV in front of the castle.

Staff lined the entryway that led to the front door and I woke Maya with a nudge to her shoulder. The moment I climbed out of the car all heads bowed and I felt a little uncomfortable at the display.

“Welcome home, Duke Grey.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m Gerard, the butler for the castle and I will see to all your needs.” He was about forty, average in height and slim of build.

“My brother will need a suite close to mine.”

“Of course, Sire. We have prepared a light dinner for your arrival and your luggage will be stowed and unpacked in your chambers.”

We followed Gerard up the few steps and into the castle. Milo and I would go explore tomorrow. We had about thirty hectares of land surrounding the castle and I knew that first thing Milo and I would be out jogging.

Milo sat on my right and Maya sat on my left. Dinner was a quiet affair, we were all tired and even Milo needed to sleep. Milo’s suite was right next to ours and we had a door that we could use to gain access, I didn’t mind because it was Milo.

“Are you coming to bed?”

“In a minute, going to shower first.” I headed to the bathroom and took a warm shower. I was thankful that I could rinse off in peace.

I entered the bedroom with the towel wrapped around my waist and found Maya naked on the bed. It was our wedding night after all. She moved to the edge of the bed and licked her lips. I walked closer to her as she took my hand.

“It’s our wedding night and you’ve been distant since we got engaged.”

“I don’t mean to be but I have a lot on my mind.” Her hand trailed down my chest and loosened the towel, letting it fall to the floor.

I closed my eyes as she took me in her mouth but it wasn’t her I was thinking of. “Turn around.”

Maya turned around and I pulled her closer to the edge and entered her, pushing her shoulders down on the bed. “Wynter …”

“Don’t talk.”

I was thrusting into her from behind when Milo tapped me on the shoulder and we switched places so quickly that Maya didn’t even notice. Milo gripped her hips and pushed inside her slowly as I moved to the edge of the bed and climbed on.

I positioned myself in front of Maya, her eyes were closed and Milo grinned at me. He grabbed her hair and pulled her head up roughly. “Take Wynter into your mouth.”

Maya’s eyes snapped open as she looked up at me. She seemed confused and Milo thrusted into her hard. I stroked her hair and smiled at her. “Say yes.” Her hands gripped the sheets in front of her and she nodded her head and opened her mouth.

Maya’s one hand was on Milo’s leg as she pushed back into him and her other hand was around my erection as she sucked me off. “Switch.”

Milo and I switched places again and I pushed inside her at the same moment as Milo thrusted into her mouth. I could feel Maya clamping her muscles around me and I came right after she did, coughing as Milo came too and didn’t pull out.

Milo pulled Maya up by her hands and then enveloped her in his arms, stroking her back. “Thank you Maya, that was great.” His words were soft and soothing as he moved them to the top of the bed and pulled the duvet up to her shoulders.

I climbed in next to them and left Maya as she fell asleep in Milo’s arms. He liked to cuddle and I didn’t so I turned on my side and closed my eyes. It had been an eventful day and the perfect ending to it. I heard Milo sigh and I felt content.

I woke up with Milo’s hand on my chest and his one leg over mine. “That better be a gun you have pointed at my ass or I swear Milo I’m going to hurt you.”

“Don’t be such a grouch, it’s still early and I just fell asleep.”

“Get off me!”

Milo started laughing as I pushed him off me and got out of bed, pulling on sweatpants that were conveniently left on the wingback chair flanking the bed. I looked back at Milo and I could see the morning glory he was sporting under the sheet.

“Have them change the sheets. I’m not sleeping where your erection’s rubbing against everything.”

I could still hear Milo laugh as I climbed in the shower and didn’t shave yet again. Maya hated it when I didn’t shave and I hated to shave. I guess I was on a winning streak for the morning, not counting Milo’s antics.

Back in the bedroom I found two young women changing the sheets and I slipped into the dressing room to get dressed. They both jumped with fright when I started to speak. “Have you seen the Princess this morning?”

They both curtsied while I frowned. “Yes Duke, she is already in the dining room awaiting your presence so breakfast can be served.”

“Thank you.”

Milo had beaten me to the dining room and the moment I sat down servers appeared and lifted the lids from the platters. Maya didn’t look at either me or Milo through the entire breakfast and Milo kept staring at her making me chuckle more than once.

Maya only looked up when I pushed my chair backwards and stood up. “Where are you going?”

“To the main office. I need to familiarize myself with how things work here and who actually works here.”

“I thought we could talk …. alone.” She had briefly glanced at Milo as she said that last word.

“We’ll talk later. We have work to do.” I nodded at Milo as he wiped his mouth and followed me out of the dining room.

We headed up to where the butler had given me directions the previous night and located the office without any problems. A man was seated behind a small desk and he stood up and bowed his head when we entered.

“Duke Grey. My name is Ivan and I’m your personal secretary. I will do whatever you need me to do, no matter what it is that you require.”

“Hello, Ivan, please call me Wynter and this is my brother, Milo, he’ll have access to everything that I do.”

“Good morning, Master Milo.”

“Only a select few call me Master but then there are whips and chains involved. Do you want to call me Master?” Milo grinned as Ivan’s eyes widened slightly.

“I guess not, Milo. Although whips and chains do hold some fascination for me I prefer being the one doing the whipping and not the other way around.”

“I think we’re going to get along just great.” Milo placed his arm around Ivan’s shoulders as I laughed. It wasn’t often that Milo met someone that could give as good as he could.

“So what do you do, Ivan?” I sat down in the chair behind the ancient looking desk and I felt at home suddenly. I liked this office.

“I maintain your diary, escort you to appointments and public occasions that your wife needs to attend with you. I procure any items you may desire. I keep you up to date with the happenings in town and I’m in charge of caring for your mistresses.”

“My what?”

“Your mistresses, Sire. There are currently ten ladies, their portfolios are on your desk for your perusal. As part of the royal family and now the royal customs as well you may choose five to keep and they will be available at all times.”

“What royal customs?” Milo was grinning like he’d won the lottery and relaxed further into a sofa by a mini fridge.

“Once a royal female is pregnant and in your case on your wedding night, she and her husband keeps separate bedrooms until the birth of the baby, to avoid any complications with the pregnancy.”

I started laughing as I looked at him. “Are you serious?”

“Yes Sire, it’s how it’s been done for hundreds of years.”

“You do realize that you don’t get complications from sex unless a doctor advises you to refrain.”

“I don’t make the rules, Sire.” Milo was still grinning like a cat that got the whole damn pot of cream and not just a sip.

“Okay moving on from the mistresses, what else is there that I should know?”

“You have several business interests in town that will be transferred to your name and once a month you have a meeting with the Town Elders that you cannot get out of no matter what the excuse, they take offence at the slightest mishap. They are also eager to meet you.”

“When is this first meeting?” Ivan swallowed and opened my diary and placed it in front of me.

“This afternoon, Sire.”

“Great.” Ivan smiled and then composed himself.

“Wynter, please we have to go meet your mistresses. I’ll help you thin the herd.”

Ivan laughed despite trying his best to appear professional and I smiled as I looked at Milo. “How am I supposed to pick five out of ten women? What if I don’t want mistresses?”

“That will be up to you, Sire.” Milo was glaring at me and threatening me with his eyes at the thought of not having any mistresses.

“And what about the Princess? Does she get suitors as well?”

“Of course not, Sire! Women are to remain chaste and wholesome. She is either touched by you or branded a whore by her father. Royal etiquette and rules are followed to the letter.” Ivan looked quite horrified at my question.

“I’ll meet the mistresses later. Give me everything I need to prepare for this meeting this afternoon.”

We spent the next five hours going through ledgers and complaints and if I read one more letter about rivals I was going to shoot myself. Ivan was thorough to say the least. By the time we had to go to lunch I felt like I already knew half of the town’s people.

Lunch was taken in our office and we laughed more than we ate. Ivan was relaxing around us and he realized pretty quickly that we didn’t like the titles and that we were very down to earth and he asked a lot of questions about the Unit when it still existed.

“Ivan, I have a few requests, most important is a meeting tonight after the Elder meeting with the warriors protecting the estate. I want their files and schedules in the car ready for me when we return.”

“Of course Sire, I’ll make sure I take them with me.”

“The other thing is a blood oath between you and me. You are good at your job but I won’t trust you completely unless we have an oath, binding us together. I have no need of the King’s spies.”

“We can do it right now, Sire. I work for Mintia’s Sire, not the King.”

Something in his voice told me that I could trust him, that he didn’t much care for the King and that’s what I wanted. I’d weed out his spies one way or the other because I knew there had to be a few, especially with the mistresses.

Milo was next to Ivan in a split second and pulled his knife from his boot. I stood across from Ivan and Milo made two quick cuts on our palms. Ivan and I grasped hands to let our blood mingle and I let Echo push forward.

“From this day I swear my allegiance in blood to Sire Wynter Grey, Duke of Mintia.”

“I accept your allegiance in blood, Ivan.” His eyes flashed yellow for a second as his dragon submitted to Echo and I could feel our bond snap into place.

“Now that we’re all friends, can I lick your hand clean?” Ivan stared open mouthed at Milo and he took that as a yes. He grabbed Ivan’s hand and licked the blood off. “Hmm, his blood is sweet, it speaks of a pure heart.”

“Ignore him, he’s special.” I smiled as Milo let go of Ivan’s hand and the latter stared at his palm with confusion.

“We need to leave in an hour, Sire. I’ll be waiting outside by the car.”