and asked, “What do you think happened after those displays of jealousy?”
She said nothing, and he watched her for long moments. “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”
Leon sighed and nuzzled her neck. Her hands went around his back and she caressed him easily. “You can’t— didn’t —hurt me, ma louve .” He kissed the side of her neck. I enjoyed every moment of it.
Penny laughed softly and Leon rolled over and pulled her against his side. She could feel his fatigue.
The man who pulled the blond woman away…was he your brother??
She was curious.
Yes. That was Sebastien and his mate, Elise.
You look alike.
He laughed softly. I look the least like Sebastien. Armand, Étienne, and I favor each other most.
She smiled. And his mate, Elise, she is very beautiful.
As are you, ma louve .
She kissed his chest softly and released a soft yawn, burying her face in his side. Leon pulled her tighter against his side.
I always feel safe with you, Leon.
You should. I would die first before I would let anything happen to you.
It was the truth. Even without searching his mind, the conviction she heard in his voice cemented it.
***
The following Monday was extremely busy for Leon. He’d seen Penny a handful of times when he rushed into his office to get something and to kiss or caress her before rushing out again.
He now owned ten new slaves, and for the entire morning, he had been busy managing their setup on the plantation. There were six women and four men, and it was obvious that Pleasant had selected them with a keen and careful eye. Two of the women were pregnant, although Pleasant had only informed him of one. Although most were to work the fields, one was a house slave, possibly Jolie’s age, and she was one of the pregnant females, the one who was not showing.
By the time he returned to his office, Penny had left for the fields, leaving behind only her scent to drive him wild. Deciding he would see her that night, he went about updating the list of slaves he would be selling to Armand. A new development had arisen and it was more urgent than others.
He’d just finished when there was a knock on his door. When he called for the person to enter, Jolie strolled in.
“Excuse me, Massa,” she said. “Someone named Mr. Hardy say ’e’s here to see you.”
Mr. Hardy? Leon did not know a Mr. Hardy, but instead of telling Jolie that, he only nodded and asked, “And where is Mr. Hardy now, Jolie?”
“In the front room, Massa.”
“Thank you, Jolie. Please tell him that I will be with him shortly.”
“Massa.”
***
When Leon stepped into the front room, which also served as the waiting room, he found a man standing before one of the tall windows, staring out. He wore a wide-brimmed hat that had once been white, dusty, worn out jeans, and a plaid shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows.
He cleared his throat and inhaled, freezing as he did so. It couldn’t be, but it was—
“Are you wondering how I’ve come to be Mr. Hardy?” a voice as familiar as his own drawled.
“Mr. Hardy” turned around and Leon stared into a face he’d seen almost every day of his life. Étienne . Why his brother was dressed as an overseer or a cattle-hand was the question.
“How are you here?” Leon asked.
“Perhaps it would be best discussed somewhere…more private?” His green eyes lifted briefly to a point behind Leon and Leon caught the scent of a human female. Jolie.
As if sensing she’d been caught, Jolie stepped forward and asked in a breathy and high voice, “Is Massa wantin’ that I bring something for Mr. Hardy?”
“No. Thank you, Jolie.”
She nodded and retreated. When Leon turned back to Étienne, his brother was looking at the spot where Jolie had been.
“Pretty human,” he murmured softly, caressing his smooth-shaven cheek. “Conniving, though.”
“Come, let’s talk in my office.”
Étienne stepped forward and then froze as if remembering something. “I should get
She said nothing, and he watched her for long moments. “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”
Leon sighed and nuzzled her neck. Her hands went around his back and she caressed him easily. “You can’t— didn’t —hurt me, ma louve .” He kissed the side of her neck. I enjoyed every moment of it.
Penny laughed softly and Leon rolled over and pulled her against his side. She could feel his fatigue.
The man who pulled the blond woman away…was he your brother??
She was curious.
Yes. That was Sebastien and his mate, Elise.
You look alike.
He laughed softly. I look the least like Sebastien. Armand, Étienne, and I favor each other most.
She smiled. And his mate, Elise, she is very beautiful.
As are you, ma louve .
She kissed his chest softly and released a soft yawn, burying her face in his side. Leon pulled her tighter against his side.
I always feel safe with you, Leon.
You should. I would die first before I would let anything happen to you.
It was the truth. Even without searching his mind, the conviction she heard in his voice cemented it.
***
The following Monday was extremely busy for Leon. He’d seen Penny a handful of times when he rushed into his office to get something and to kiss or caress her before rushing out again.
He now owned ten new slaves, and for the entire morning, he had been busy managing their setup on the plantation. There were six women and four men, and it was obvious that Pleasant had selected them with a keen and careful eye. Two of the women were pregnant, although Pleasant had only informed him of one. Although most were to work the fields, one was a house slave, possibly Jolie’s age, and she was one of the pregnant females, the one who was not showing.
By the time he returned to his office, Penny had left for the fields, leaving behind only her scent to drive him wild. Deciding he would see her that night, he went about updating the list of slaves he would be selling to Armand. A new development had arisen and it was more urgent than others.
He’d just finished when there was a knock on his door. When he called for the person to enter, Jolie strolled in.
“Excuse me, Massa,” she said. “Someone named Mr. Hardy say ’e’s here to see you.”
Mr. Hardy? Leon did not know a Mr. Hardy, but instead of telling Jolie that, he only nodded and asked, “And where is Mr. Hardy now, Jolie?”
“In the front room, Massa.”
“Thank you, Jolie. Please tell him that I will be with him shortly.”
“Massa.”
***
When Leon stepped into the front room, which also served as the waiting room, he found a man standing before one of the tall windows, staring out. He wore a wide-brimmed hat that had once been white, dusty, worn out jeans, and a plaid shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows.
He cleared his throat and inhaled, freezing as he did so. It couldn’t be, but it was—
“Are you wondering how I’ve come to be Mr. Hardy?” a voice as familiar as his own drawled.
“Mr. Hardy” turned around and Leon stared into a face he’d seen almost every day of his life. Étienne . Why his brother was dressed as an overseer or a cattle-hand was the question.
“How are you here?” Leon asked.
“Perhaps it would be best discussed somewhere…more private?” His green eyes lifted briefly to a point behind Leon and Leon caught the scent of a human female. Jolie.
As if sensing she’d been caught, Jolie stepped forward and asked in a breathy and high voice, “Is Massa wantin’ that I bring something for Mr. Hardy?”
“No. Thank you, Jolie.”
She nodded and retreated. When Leon turned back to Étienne, his brother was looking at the spot where Jolie had been.
“Pretty human,” he murmured softly, caressing his smooth-shaven cheek. “Conniving, though.”
“Come, let’s talk in my office.”
Étienne stepped forward and then froze as if remembering something. “I should get
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