A Bride for Two Mavericks

The Male Order, Texas Collection

A Bride for Two Mavericks It’s the height of the Roaring 1920s, and Audrey Rousseau is the queen of the fashionable Paris scene. But when her ghosts begin to haunt her, she flees France for the promise of the whole new world of Texas. Truly free from her past life, she is finally able to pursue her ultimate dream of complete creative freedom. Audrey approaches the Abrams brothers looking for business partners but is unprepared when she finds much, much more. She’s never been able to handle one man, so how could she possible be a bride for two? Silas, the bold daredevil who flies his own plane and challenges her to car races, seems quite enough. But what about Max, the black clad architect who makes her heart—and body—burn with an unquenchable thirst for more? And what happens when the past she’s running from comes knocking on her doorstep? Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys Length: 50,793 words

A BRIDE FOR TWO MAVERICKS The Male Order, Texas Collection

Katrina Finn

MENAGE EVERLASTING

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

A BRIDE FOR TWO MAVERICKS Copyright © 2010 by Katrina Finn E-book ISBN: 1-61034-048-5 First E-book Publication: October 2010 Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2010 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A BRIDE FOR TWO MAVERICKS The Male Order, Texas Collection KATRINA FINN Copyright © 2010

Chapter One Dallas, Texas 1925 The brilliant late summer sun beat down upon Audrey Rousseau as she drove down the wide boulevard of Dallas’ main street. She couldn’t believe she was actually in Texas, a fabled land she had dreamed about many a time as a young girl in the orphanage. Yet this place didn’t match up with her picture books at all. The trim, modern roads and tall buildings contrasted dramatically with the images of the Alamo, of Davy Crocket, and the Wild West playing in her head. She knew Dallas was stylish, a new kind of city different than her Paris or even the wonderfully American chaos of Manhattan, but she couldn’t help but wonder how this could be before she arrived. And now here it was in all its glory, the new skyscrapers glittering in the hot sun like a beacon of hope. She had finally arrived. Zipping from block to block in her luxurious Bugatti convertible, purchased with all those hours of hard work, Audrey already drew looks from passersby. She didn’t care. Despite all the troubles and heartache that had filled her since she departed New York nearly a

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month before, she loved every second of driving her car. Her car. She still loved to say that aloud. Bought and paid for by funds generated by her most recent fashion show in New York, no one could take it away from her or tell her how to use it. If she wanted to drive to Texas by herself, no one could stop her. She couldn’t remember a time when she felt so free. She slowed down on the next block as her destination came into view, Jacqueline’s Department Store. She had memorized the address after reading the feature story in Vogue three months before about the visionaries behind the store, the Abrams brothers. She could still clearly recall the cover image attached. There, on the front, was the most glorious store she had ever seen. The front lobby dripped with an unparalleled stylish sophistication, on a level not even comparable in Paris. Standing beneath the enormous glass chandelier stood the brothers themselves, Max and Silas, the welcoming hosts to their newfound Vogue clientele. Although the two men shared the closest blood relation possible, she couldn’t help but notice the striking difference in their appearances. Max, the older brother by four years, could almost be called a giant, with a size and a shape that spoke of hard manual labor and the hearty stock of a pioneer family. His hair shown jet black and flowed from beneath his wide-brimmed cowboy hat, long and skimming the lapel of his jacket. His dark eyes radiated a burning heat, even in that magazine photo. Silas, the younger of the two, was certainly not a small man, but there was something different about him, almost aristocratic. He would have blended in at the grandest society parties in New York in his dapper suit and linen flat cap. His soulful blue eyes and fair hair gave him an innocence clearly absent in his older brother. No one would ever think these two could be related unless you studied the finest details of their faces, the only place their relationship revealed itself. Only these Abramses shared the same strong brow and jaw, the same curve of a mouth with the slightest hint

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of a smirk, the identical prominent forehead and high cheekbones. These men were undoubtedly brothers if you really took the time to study them. Audrey had cut the photos out of the fashion magazine and pasted them carefully to her vanity mirror. When teased by a friend in New York about the behavior, she was sharp and quick to respond. “This is about business, pure and simple. These men are the future of fashion, and I must know everything there is to know about them.” The statement wasn’t a lie, and she repeated her own words in her head in a hypnotic rhythm. This trip was about research, connections, realizing her dreams for a store all her own. She was overflowing with ideas after the wild journey through the American countryside with nothing more than her clothes, rifle and colored pencils to keep her company. When she got a flat tire or was stuck in a ditch after a late summer rainstorm, she didn’t hesitate for a moment to stop and take the time to explore before she repaired the car herself. It was almost always a sign, leading her to see something amazing. She sketched the rolling peaks of the Smoky Mountains and the endless fields of cotton bursting white with blooms while she drove from town to town. Occasionally she’d stop in one city or another, taking in a civilized meal at one of the many moody jazz or blues clubs that seemed to haunt every corner of the south. The steady stream of imagery from her long journey faded from her mind as she turned off the engine and took a deep breath. She pulled her compact from her glove box, allowing herself just a moment to powder her nose and carefully apply her signature shade of garnet red lipstick before stepping out of the car. Perhaps she didn’t look as put together as when she left New York City the month before, but she still made for quite a sight as she passed through the revolving door onto the main floor of Jacqueline’s. She was thoroughly pleased by how comfortable she remained throughout her trip in the leisurewear she designed specifically for the

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adventure. She’d brought only the bare necessities, primarily consisting of a few skirts, wide legged pants, a smart jacket and pearls. She knew her outfits would cause quite a stir since wherever she traveled she always drew attention for her unique look. Honestly, however, she couldn’t have cared less. No one would ever question her femininity if they took a moment to meet her. The inside of Jacqueline’s was even more elegant than the Vogue photo spread. It felt more like a ballroom than a department store, with pristine marble floors, tall ceilings, modern art on the walls, and a pianist elegantly performing a Mozart sonata Audrey immediately recognized. The air inside the store was almost chilly, far cooler than the hot afternoon outside, yet she saw no fans anywhere. The clothes being sold were carefully organized and displayed behind gleaming glass cases and the smell of rich perfumes sold at a small counter at the front of the store made her feel like she was home. In fact, the scent of the extravagant interior made her laugh, for the whole place smelled like Violette, the fragrance she had created just months before she left France for good. The perfectly balanced combination of rose, jasmine and violet filled her nose, and she couldn’t help but laugh to herself. Might she be recognized five thousand miles from home? Maybe not her face, but she was pleased to know the women of this foreign city seemed to approve of her already. They didn’t know it yet, but they were hers. As she strolled the wide aisles of Jacqueline’s, small groups of women gathered and tried their hardest not to stare at her. Although the ladies she examined were dressed carefully and stylishly, she was glad to note that a lot of work could be done to make comfort and fashion synonymous in this fresh, young city. **** The buzzer went off in the conference room at possibly the most inopportune moment possible. Silas’ heart pounded as Mr.

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Michaelovitch, Aleksandr as he insisted on being called, drew up contracts for Max and Silas to examine. All that stood between the Abrams brothers and a visible path to massive European success were two signatures accompanied by two firm handshakes. “What is it, Mason?” Max asked, visibly annoyed. “Mr. Abrams, sir, I have an urgent message for you,” the voice replied over the intercom. “Did I or did I not tell you that we were not to be disturbed?” “My sincerest apologies, sir. I wouldn’t have interrupted if it weren’t terribly pressing.” “I’ll handle it,” Silas responded, giving his older brother a knowing look. Calm down, Max. Don’t let your temper flare today, for Christ’s sake. Max leaned back in his chair at the conference table and took a deep breath. Silas eased out of his seat and laid his hand on his brother’s thick shoulder. “I’ll be right back. Look over everything, and I will be glad to sign the moment I’ve had the chance to look things over more carefully.” Silas felt relieved to step into the hallway and escape the tension in the boardroom, a weighty feeling managing to send his stomach into somersaults since the moment he met Michaelovitch. There was something about the Russian he didn’t like, but the man wasn’t a friend. This was all business, business promising to make their store the top international destination for high fashion. The money promised to be huge if the deal went through in a timely fashion, but it wasn’t about that for Silas. Bringing Jacqueline’s to the women of the world was about a new vision for the twentieth century. He knew everything was changing rapidly and couldn’t imagine how different things would be in twenty or thirty years. Hell, he owned his own plane, could travel wherever he pleased in just a few short hours. Would that be true of everyone by the time he was an old man?

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“Silas?” Mason said, snapping him out of his haze. He refocused his eyes on his right-hand man and close personal confidante, a man he and Max had known and trusted throughout their lives. “Sorry, Mason. I have a lot on my mind. So what is so urgent to have pulled me out of the meeting with Michaelovitch? You know how terribly important today is.” “I’ve heard report that Audrey Rousseau is in the store and making quite a buzz among the clients.” “That’s impossible, Mason. She wouldn’t step foot in America, much less Dallas. She’s the queen bee of the Parisian fashion elite these days, you must know that. Last I heard she was opening a store next to the Ritz Hotel.” “Respectfully, sir, it seems you haven’t been paying attention to the news. No one has seen her for a month, not since she disappeared from New York in her car without saying a word to anyone about it.” “She drove here? Alone?” “Yes, yes she did.” “My goodness. Where is she?” Mason quietly pointed towards the giant windows behind Silas looking six floors down to Main Street. Silas immediately spotted a woman getting into a fancy sports car. He rapidly crossed to the glass across the room to take a closer look, and despite his distance from the street, he could clearly make out her attire. Grey wide-legged pants and a black, form-fitting jacket belted at the waist clung gracefully to her delicate frame. Her hair was cut just beneath her chin and she wore a tiny cloche hat upon her head. Her lips blazed with a fiery shade, and she wore huge sunglasses and seemingly endless strands of pearls around her neck. Before he knew what he was doing, he was taking the stairs two at a time, desperate to catch her before she disappeared. No use in waiting for the elevator—this was far too important. He ran through the lobby, barely avoiding running into some of his most regular customers.

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Murmuring half-hearted apologies to everyone he nearly toppled, he bolted through the revolving doors just in time to see the dust Audrey’s convertible left behind as she pulled away down Main Street.

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Chapter Two “And why am I supposed to care, Silas? You run out of the most important business meeting of our lives and I’m supposed to be impressed by some woman in pants?” Max stared at his younger brother with the dark, rage-filled look Silas should have found intimidating by now. “Audrey Rousseau was here! At the store! She just waltzed right in to take a look like it was nothing. According to Mason, she drove. Alone. From New York.” “I’ve heard no substantial evidence that there’s any truth to this, save that some crazy suffragette got her hands on her husband’s car and came over here.” “Max, stop that. Women got the right to vote five years ago. It’s all been different since the war, and Audrey Rousseau is the epitome of how much things have changed.” “Don’t start, Silas. I don’t want to hear about it. Rousseau’s a talent, there’s no doubt about it. But if you think I’m going to start selling women’s pants in my store, you are sadly mistaken. I don’t care who walks in the lobby wearing what. And I detest wasting our time with this when we have serious business to discuss concerning Michaelovitch.” “I’m going to find her, Max. She’s here because of us, don’t you see? Why else would she drive more than a thousand miles to come to Dallas? Michaelovitch can hold his horses for a day or two.” “Fine, then I will just sign your name to the contract.”

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“Don’t you dare. I just need some time, goddamn it. Why are you so quick to plunge into everything? Can’t world domination wait until tomorrow?” A moment of heavy silence settled over them. “This is a once in a lifetime chance, Silas. Imagine it—five stores, with Jacqueline’s name becoming famous all across the western world. No one’s ever done that before. Each place could be more grand and elegant than the next. And we could both spend more time traveling, maybe even move to Paris.” “You’d miss Male Order, believe me,” Silas retorted. Max was a Texas boy through and through, despite his deep hunger for global business conquest. If Max wasn’t on a horse for even a day he began to get edgy. “Besides, I’m not saying I don’t want this as much as you do. I just have to find Rousseau first. She’s a sign, Max. And it’s gonna pay off to keep Michaelovitch sweatin’ just a bit. It always does.” “You’ve got one week. And then we’re moving forward, or I swear…” “A week. Done.” And with that, Silas slammed the door to the boardroom. **** Audrey peeled off her clothes and wrapped a robe around herself in the refreshing cool of her new home, the comfortable suite on the tenth floor of the Parkside Hotel. Despite visiting many luxurious hotels before arriving in this strange, brand-new city, she had never seen this kind of beauty before. Climbing upwards to her room just moments before, she marveled at the endlessly swooping upwards staircase wrapping languorously around a sparkling black and white checkered lobby, each floor a perfect swirl ascending higher and higher.

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She was thrilled when the bellhop revealed her room, the perfect space she needed to recover herself, complete with a massive tub and vanity. Silk seemed to drape every surface, and she opened her balcony doors to let in the warm September breeze, still holding more than a hint of the scorching Texas summer she’d read about before making the long journey. As she drew a hot bath for herself, she smiled as she recalled the image of Silas Abrams in her rearview mirror as she sped away from Jacqueline’s several hours before. She couldn’t be sure, but she could have sworn he might have even broken a sweat chasing after her. The image could be described as nothing less than charming. There he stood, out of breath but still as dapper as his image in the magazine, his stunning blond hair shining without a hat atop his head. He smiled and casually gave a half wave to Audrey as she pulled away as if to let her know this wouldn’t be their last encounter. The look on his face told her he enjoyed this little game she had begun, that he would enjoy tracking her down. Letting her robe fall to the floor, she smirked when she considered how this might play out. How could they be mutually beneficial to each others’ budding international careers? What did they have that she wanted, and what could she offer them? She imagined Silas in his perfectly pristine cream suit, the picture of the modern man. But where was Max, the other half of this mysterious, powerful duo? From the Vogue photo spread, she knew Max shied away from the trends Silas would devour with a spoon. His rugged sensibilities screamed Texas, and it seemed entirely fitting the older brother would wear black from head to toe. His attire almost reminded her of someone in mourning. Could he be dressing that way in remembrance for someone? His clothing contained no embellishment except for one concession. He wore his pants tucked into his boots to display elaborate cowboy boots, painstakingly embroidered with an ornate geometric design.

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The contrasting styles echoed in Audrey’s brain as she settled into the tub for her restorative soak after the weeks of travel. As she sunk deeper and deeper into the water, her brain became foggy with slumber as the thoughts continued radiating through her. Images of Max and Silas echoed in her brain, two mysterious and intriguing sides of the same coin. As her body unraveled in complete relaxation, she opened her eyes and smiled. It’s perfect, she thought happily to herself. Time to get to work. **** “Where is she, Mason? I’ve made a call to every respectable hotel in this godforsaken town and she is nowhere to be found!” Silas threw his chair back from his desk and crossed towards the windows, gazing out onto the growing skyline of Dallas lit up in the night. Hotels, each taller than the last, seemed to be cropping up left and right these days, and Silas simply couldn’t keep track of them any longer. “Sir, you must be patient. I can’t recall the last time I saw you in such a state.” Silas took a breath and turned back to Mason. “This could be very important for our business, that’s all. I’m afraid I will miss my window to meet her, and she’ll never return to Dallas. She must be here for a reason, and I have to find out if it has to do with the store.” “With all due respect, perhaps she doesn’t want to be found right now. She’ll reveal herself when she’s ready. Isn’t she the type of woman who knows what she wants? She certainly seems like the fearless type,” Mason replied with his typical clear-headed calm. “I can say with all my confidence there has never been a woman like Audrey Rousseau.” “Not even Miss Jacqueline, sir?” “That’s not what I’m talking about, Mason. And I resent you bringing her up right now.” Silas fumed at the comparison to the

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woman he and his brother had loved and lost three years prior. He was chasing Miss Rousseau. There was no doubt about it. And although he couldn’t pretend an attraction to her wasn’t out of the question, this was unmistakably business. Besides, save for an article here and there in Vogue, he had barely seen her beyond a glimpse as she made her getaway. This was unmistakably about her talent and her vision. The designer could be the Abramses’ finest ally, possibly helping the store more than even Michaelovitch could. And he liked the thought of shaking off the Russian’s influence on his brother. “My sincerest apologies. I didn’t mean to pry, Silas.” Despite Mason’s technical job description as butler and personal assistant to both brothers, Silas despised the title and any distance between them. Mason had been like a grandfather to both of them, especially after their own parents had been killed in a train accident when Max and Silas were just fifteen. He had worked for the Abrams family his entire life and cared for the boys since they’d been born. “It’s all right, Mason. I know how close you were to Jackie. We all miss her. Do you think that’s why Max was so angry with me when I ran out of the meeting with the Russian?” “I think Max was angry because you acted rather abruptly, sir.” Mason gave Silas a pat on his shoulder and looked him square in the eye. “I’m sure Miss Rousseau will emerge from her hiding place. It has only been two days, after all. Let her adjust to this new place. I am sure it must be quite a lot to take in, wouldn’t you agree? Take care of your business, spend some time at home, and I’m sure you will have your answers within no time.” “Thank you, Mason,” Silas answered half-heartedly, trying his damndest to listen to the good advice. He filled his mind with menial work, digging into a thick stack of untouched mail delivered that morning. Home, he thought to himself as he absent-mindedly tossed letter after letter into the garbage. The concept of home as a place of rest and relaxation didn’t hold exactly the same definition these days, not

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since Jackie died three years ago on the terrible night that changed the Abramses’ lives indelibly. Since then, Max had poured every ounce of his spirit first into rebuilding The Arches from the ground up and then designing project after project in their hometown, Male Order, and Dallas. Silas always admired his brother’s work ethic, but a new house and department store had been just the beginning. Already nearing completion were a movie theater, a marketplace and a ballroom for their beloved hometown. Max planned to finish them all within a month. Silas loved to imagine the future of Male Order, quite an evolution since their grandparents had helped found the community. But at this pace, how long could his brother, the only family he had left, last? Silas mourned in his own way, taking on new and more extravagant hobbies and adventures. The speed of the road and the exhilaration of flight were the best elixirs he could imagine. If work would consume his brother and keep them from healing the past, Silas would be damned if he stuck around to see Max fall apart. He’d rather be in the air. A thick envelope at the bottom of the pile of mail awoke him from his thoughts. How had he missed this earlier? He tore it open and spread the contents out across his desk. Ten perfectly rendered designs looked back at him, and the drawings were almost eerie. The men in each image bore an uncanny resemblance to both Silas and Max, and the fashions meticulously revealed on each page accomplished an unthinkable feat. One by one, the designer had taken pieces from each of the Abramses’ personal styles and blended them into one collection. It was almost shocking to look at the meticulous detail, the gorgeous, contemporary lines perfectly blended with the traditions of western dress. A small handwritten card peaked out from underneath the last drawing.

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What do you think? Meet me at the Parkside Restaurant at eight o’clock sharp. Fondly, Audrey Rousseau Silas looked at his watch. It was nearly nine. He rushed out the door without a second thought.

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Chapter Three “Miss Rousseau, what a pleasure it is to finally meet you.” The slight drawl of Silas Abrams’ voice roused Audrey from her meditative state, her nose buried in her sketchbook. “Mr. Abrams, I presume? I was beginning to doubt you would show up,” Audrey replied with a furrowed brow. She took a long slow sip of coffee. “If I had known you planned to arrive an hour late, I might have waited to take my dinner.” “My sincerest apologies, Miss Rousseau. May I join you at your table?” Silas did look genuinely sorry, but Audrey hated to be kept waiting, and planned to rub it in a bit. “I’ve finished for the evening, Mr. Abrams, and was frankly planning to retire shortly. I was under the impression you wouldn’t be coming tonight.” Audrey tried to contain her hurt and remain professional, but she could hear the frustration ringing in her own voice. Her excitement about meeting and engaging with the younger Abrams had waned, and only the tension between them remained. Audrey grabbed her handbag and tried to make her way towards the exit, but Silas stepped in front of her, putting a physical barrier between her and the door. As he stood in front of her, her body couldn’t help but react to his form looming above her. There was no denying he was breathtaking to look at. His shining azure eyes were filled with remorse, and he was still a bit out of breath from rushing to get to the hotel. Had he actually run? Despite his gently heaving chest, his suit was impeccably in order, creamy linen cut close to his muscled body from head to toe. He wore a cotton flat cap and a slim leather jacket, clearly his driving costume.

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“Please let me show you around town. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” He grinned and looked Audrey straight in the eye, and her panties immediately soaked when he gently set his hand on her shoulder, the heat of his hand radiating across the partially exposed flesh. “Where are you parked, Mr. Abrams? I’m in the mood for a drive.” Audrey didn’t back down from his gaze, and they held each others’ stares for far longer than necessary. “I’m right behind you. And please, call me Silas.” **** It was barely nine-thirty, but downtown Dallas on a weeknight wasn’t known for its rowdy crowds. In fact, anyone up to any trouble whatsoever wouldn’t be out of doors, but hidden far from sight. Since the strict law of Prohibition had shut down every saloon in town, the wild underbelly of the town was forced to hide behind secret doors and innocent storefronts. To an outsider, the city looked dead. But if a visitor took a closer look through the eyes of someone in the know, he would see the city brimmed with a secret, unique chaos. Audrey insisted on driving separate cars, despite Silas’ protests. Her argument about learning the city for herself made some sense, but Silas didn’t enjoy the attitude that accompanied it. They had clearly gotten off on the wrong foot, and it was now Silas’ responsibility to right his previous wrong. He planned to show her a piece of Dallas bound to astonish her and undo his first impression within minutes. Silas quickly took a right turn, where a neat row of new automatic traffic lights lined the street. He stopped beneath the light, despite the entirely empty road. Audrey pulled up alongside him and smiled as their engines idled side by side. “What are you waiting for? No one’s out to see us. We won’t get in trouble, will we? I’m curious how fast that thing goes!” With that dare, she revved her engine and gave him a sly grin.

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He never doubted his car’s ability to outrun any in Dallas before that moment, but he recognized her sports car from a few of the races he attended in Europe after the war. Did she really plan to compete against him on one of Dallas’ widest boulevards? Before he could stop her, she hit the gas and took off. His instincts immediately kicked into gear, and he raced to catch up and close the gap between them. He floored the gas pedal and accelerated rapidly, but to no avail. She sped ahead, and when she gained enough of a lead to feel comfortable five long blocks later, she pulled her car into a sharp right turn and stopped right in front of him. He slammed on the brakes and hopped out of the car to meet her, his heart still racing from the surprise showdown. She was out of breath, her short hair blown wild from the evening breeze, and with a self-congratulatory grin spread wide across her face. “I heard the French were making fast cars. I can’t believe I got to see one in action on the streets of Dallas! You’re quite the driver, Miss Rousseau.” Silas laughed, taking it in stride that a woman had beaten him so easily. He’d lost fair and square, more or less, and it didn’t matter anyway. There would most certainly be a rematch in the days to come. “Call me Audrey,” she said, finally returning the familiar gesture he had offered at the hotel. “Now I’m ready for you to show me what you’d planned, Silas.” The sound of his name on her tongue, the fiery flush of competitive adrenaline in her cheeks and the quiet, complimentary purrs of their car engines…it was almost too much. His heart raced as he looked down as this wild vixen, a woman unlike any he had ever known before. He had to have her. The thought shocked him. He couldn’t remember the last time this kind of feral hunger filled his veins. He felt alive in a way he hadn’t in years, that was damn sure.

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“You’ve won this time. I’ll let you get away with that. But don’t think I’ll be letting you leave Texas without a rematch. For your grand prize tonight, let me take you to the best kept secret in Dallas, Audrey.” **** Audrey was more than a little perturbed when Silas took her hand and pulled her into a phone booth on a seemingly abandoned street. When he’d driven them deep into an industrial neighborhood filled with warehouses, she was confused. And now she was almost afraid. What could he possibly be planning? “Can you trust me, Audrey? I promise I won’t let you down. Just give me a moment,” he assured her as their two bodies acclimated to the enclosed space. She refused to be put in such a comprising position inside a phone booth in the middle of nowhere America, even if he was one of the handsomest, most daring men she had encountered in years. He closed the door to the tiny glass room, leaving the two of them tightly sandwiched together in the miniature space. “One minute and I’m gone,” she responded, trying to contain her body as he pushed against her, reaching for the receiver. Locking eyes, the tension between them was palpable. They were so close, Audrey could swear she felt his hard sexe against her as he brushed her torso. Was that a blush rising to her face? She was appalled. How had she found herself in this place with this man? “Hello, Jeffrey. Are the horses in the corral?” He said the words into the receiver as if recalling a familiar refrain. He chuckled as her brow furrowed deeply. “I like that look of yours, Audrey. It lets me know when I’m in trouble,” he said with a smirk as he leaned down and stole a kiss on her forehead.

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Did he just…what could he possibly… Before she could question or resist for another moment, strange sounds began coming from behind the back wall of the booth. Audrey was shocked at what was before her eyes. The wall had pulled away entirely, revealing a huge space on the other side of the phone booth filled with merry revelers. So this is an American speakeasy. “It’s called ‘The Merry Go ‘Round.’ Can you tell why?” Audrey rolled her eyes and laughed. In the middle of the massive warehouse was a huge children’s merry-go-round, cleverly converted into both a revolving bar and plaything for a wild cast of patrons, each of whom bobbed slowly up and down on the backs of the colorfully painted toy horses. “What would you like to drink, my dear?” Trying to keep up, she smiled. “What do they offer?” “Whiskey, always. Gin, sometimes. They have a hard time keeping the liquor in stock, since it goes so damn fast.” “I’ll have what you’re having. I don’t know your American ways, and I prefer to learn by trying.” “Be back in a jiffy.” Audrey took it all in while she enjoyed a moment to herself, from the illegal rotating bar in the front to the gambling tables in the back. Wonderful music filled the place, fiddles and drums and guitars echoing throughout the open room. A man on stage yodeled along to the unusual instruments. Dancers whirled and swirled everywhere, moving to a rhythm and a series of steps completely unfamiliar to her. “A martini for the lady. Neat,” Silas said from behind her, leaning in to let his breath gently ricochet off her ear. “How civilized! I mean…” Audrey stammered, hating to sound judgmental about a town and a country she’d barely seen. “It’s all right, Audrey. I know what you mean. Prohibition’s made America into a strange place, indeed. It hasn’t worked, in case you were wondering.”

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“I think I figured that one out.” Audrey gave Silas a half grin as she sipped at her first cocktail since departing Europe five months previously. It tasted absurdly strong, and the potion immediately shot to her head. “Let me show you my favorite spot in the place. May I?” Before she could think about it, Silas took Audrey’s hand in his and guided her through the throng of dancers, making sure not to lose her. Emerging in the back of the space, they walked through a dark hallway. Silas placed his hand on a seemingly out of place bookshelf against the farthest wall, and it spontaneously opened into yet another secret room. They stepped inside the space, a cool, comfortably cavernous place filled floor to ceiling with bottles of wine. A plush booth with velvet seats took up the farthest corner of the room, the table set with wine glasses and cutlery for Silas’ guests. “I’m a bit of a collector. French Bordeauxs are my favorite,” Silas said with his now familiar half grin. “An American wine collector? In Texas? I never would have—” “I thought you might appreciate it.” “What self-respecting Parisian wouldn’t?” “I’ll let you evaluate my taste sometime soon. But I didn’t bring you back here just to show this to you. I came here to be alone with you, away from all the chaos out there. Would you care to dance, Miss Rousseau?” The music, a raucous, deafening rhythm on the dance floor, had softened to a pleasant, slow melody wafting down the hallway. It was just audible enough to make it feel like a private concert for two. Before Audrey could respond, Silas was leading her in a slow waltz around the room. Their bodies swayed together in perfect time to the music, and she melted into his commanding lead. She felt tiny in his strong arms, her feet barely touching the ground as the tempo rose and fell. “I thought this was a business meeting, Silas,” she tried to protest.

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“So did I, Audrey. But that look on your face after our little race…I couldn’t stop myself after that. I saw the real you in that moment.” With all of her power, she stopped her body from swaying against his and looked up at him. “I came here to do business with you and your brother. That’s why I came to Dallas. You must realize this, yes?” “Yes, of course. And I’m honored and thrilled by the prospect of collaborating with you. I loved the designs you sent, and I know Max will as well. But tonight isn’t about business. You’ve been alone a long time, Audrey. I can tell.” He was right—it had been years since she allowed herself to be held by a man. Her work consumed every part of her and filled the dark holes left by keeping everyone at bay. She had been hurt and mistreated before, and the days and nights of her tireless labor were the perfect elixir to heal the wounds so deeply left on her heart. But was she that obvious? How could this stranger seem to know and understand so much? “Just give me tonight. Tomorrow we can go back to Miss Rousseau and Mr. Abrams. And no one will know, I can promise you that.” Silas smoothed back her hair and looked down at her with a fire that made her forget everything else. The questions dissolved inside of her, replaced by a hunger she hadn’t felt in years. Audrey’s senses were overwhelmed by him as he consumed her mouth, not waiting or needing to elicit a verbal response from her. She gasped as he led her towards the booth, picked her up and placed her down roughly on the table. He managed to be simultaneously forceful and gentle with her as ran his tongue from the top of her ear to the base of her neck, pausing for a delicious minute to savor the flesh surrounding her collarbone. This close to him, with his arms wrapped tightly around her, she

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could do nothing but surrender to the foreign desire burning ferociously through her veins. His scent seemed to surround her, and her sharp instincts as a parfumeur couldn’t help but analyze all she took in. He was an incredible, wonderfully American mixture of Ivory soap, black cherry, rope and leather, with the slightest hint of gasoline and musk. This man didn’t spend all of his days locked indoors behind a desk. His rough hands betrayed his playboy image, and the taste of salt on his skin told her he wasn’t afraid of breaking a sweat. While she took in the details of this mysterious new person in her life, Silas didn’t hesitate to explore the secrets of her own body. He paused for what seemed like an eternity to trace the lines of her signature, closely-cut linen sports jacket and blouse. He took the time to admire the fine curves and careful tailoring. “I’m going to tear this off of you, Audrey.” “You wouldn’t dare,” she exclaimed, shocked he would mar something so dear to her. “I’m not asking your permission,” he firmly retorted as he held both her small wrists in his rough hand. Audrey struggled against him as he roughly pulled off the jacket and then smoothed his hands down the front of the sacrificial blouse. His grin revealed the purely mischievous spirit springing to the surface as he managed in one swift motion to pop off each and every pearl button running from her décolletage to her waist. Beneath the blouse, she wore nothing but a silk camisole and a locket she never removed. Moments before, Silas looked prepared to do battle, gearing up to fight the layers of undergarments most women wore. Instead, Audrey’s round breasts stood at full attention beneath the thin, cool fabric. He looked overwhelmed for a moment as he took in the sight of her, half disrobed and leaning back against the wide, round table. “My word, Miss Rousseau. Aren’t you just a sight for sore eyes,” he said, the twang in his voice emphasized for effect. She couldn’t

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help but laugh out loud at the wild scenario she had found herself in, all alone with this strange man who somehow managed to make her giggle while simultaneously tearing off her clothes. In contrast to his rough treatment of her beloved jacket and blouse just moments before, he now palmed the fine silk and lace trim of her pale pink camisole with the care of a fine surgeon, slowly lifting it above her head with both hands as his fingertips ran across her bare torso for the first time. Standing above her, he leaned down and gently dragged his tongue between her breasts, taking each nipple in his mouth one at a time. He slowly ran his hands up and down her back from the nape of her neck to the bottom of her spine just above her ass. He let his tongue travel the journey from her taut nipples up her neck and just below her earlobe and then make a return trip once again. Occasionally one hand would grab a fistful of her carefully coifed bobbed hairdo and he would hold her up to his face, devour her lips and tongue with a passion so wild she had no choice but to succumb. This waxing and waning of gentle caressing and fitful devouring left her gasping for air and desperate to touch him in return, but he resisted her advances when she attempted to unbutton his shirt. Despite the impressive bulge growing beneath his slim-cut pale yellow suit pants, he made no move towards revealing what was under the layers of fine cotton. Both of them remained for several minutes panting against each other, each lover’s hot breath in the other’s ear. Silas held her tightly, now only gently caressing her hair and holding her half naked body against his strong chest. Once some time passed and their breaths had slowed to a hushed, simultaneous rise and fall, he leaned into her ear and said, “I won’t take you tonight, because I am a gentleman and I can sense you’re not ready. But I want you, Audrey. And I will have you.” He took her petite hand in his and dragged it down the front of his shirt, over the smooth edges of the belt around his waist and along the

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front seam of his pants, a piece of fabric that looked on the verge of splitting right down the middle with the stress of what lay just beneath the surface. Beneath the cotton, she could feel the heat and throbbing of pure, masculine desire. Her face went red hot, and there was nothing she could do to stifle the blush in her cheeks and the surge of moisture between her legs. Despite her vulnerable, naked state, and the hunger coursing through her veins, she gathered her courage as she pulled her camisole over her shoulders. “I wish to return to my room now, Mr. Abrams. Please bring me to my car. I will be invoicing you tomorrow for the cost of the jacket.” If he wanted to play the game, she would be more than happy to compete.

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Chapter Four “Didn’t think I’d see you here this morning,” Max said from the kitchen doorway as he took off his wide-brimmed cowboy hat. Silas sat at the table in his smoking jacket, reading the newspaper. “What time did you get home?” “Late,” Silas replied, unwilling to give his older brother the satisfaction of any details. Dawn was just breaking, but Max was already dressed and ready for a day on the range. His brother, on the other hand, had clearly not gone to bed for more than an hour. Max sat down across the table from Silas and looked him square in the eye. “Were you with Rousseau?” “What do you think?” A moment of uncomfortable silence settled over them as Max refused to answer his sarcastic rhetorical question. “All right. That’s enough, Silas. Look, I have every right to be annoyed with you for walking out of the meeting with Michaelovitch and keeping us from sealing the deal. So did you have any revelations with Rousseau?” “She definitely wants to do business with us. She drew up plans for a menswear line. It’s nothing short of impressive.” “Menswear? What man would shop in a department store like ours? I can’t believe you think that’s more promising than Michaelovitch’s plan.” Silas didn’t respond, except with a flash of hostility burning from his cobalt blue eyes. Max couldn’t pretend to be surprised. The

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tension between them came and went since they’d lost Jackie three years ago, but things had never been the same between them. “Come work with me today out on the ranch,” Max said to break the silence, trying his damnedest to find the last bone of patience in his body. “When was the last time you got your hands dirty? We can talk business and check in on how things are going on the property.” Silas paused for a moment before grudgingly admitting to his brother he was right. “It’s been too long. Give me ten minutes.” **** Audrey woke up to a scuffling outside her door and heard two men arguing in the hallway. It was early, the light barely streaming through her balcony. She dressed in her favorite pair of silk men’s pajamas and opened the curtains to the first bright, golden rays of a Texas morning. “I must leave this for Miss Abrams!” she heard one voice say forcefully beyond the walls of her room. It took her a moment before she realized the man in the hallway was referring to her. She threw on her robe and opened the door to find two men on the verge of coming to blows. Neither looked the type to start a fistfight in a hotel hallway. The bellboy’s hair was mussed, and he had a look of fear in his eyes. An older gentleman in a carefully tailored suit held a large leather case in one hand with a ribbon wrapped around it, now torn and smashed by their altercation. “What seems to be the problem, gentlemen?” Audrey immediately halted the argument by her appearance. They both stared at her, blushes rising on their faces within moments. “Miss Belle Abrams, I presume?” the older gentleman asked politely, in stark contrast to his former tone with the young hotel employee. Beneath the politeness of his voice, there was a note of amusement in his tone.

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She blushed at hearing the fake name she used while checking into the Parkside several days ago. She’d created the alias to elude her past, for security, but she had to admit that it also came in handy while hiding from Silas. She smiled to herself when she thought of him calling every hotel in Dallas and never thinking to look under his own last name. But now, after the awkward ending of last night, she was appalled by her use of the well-known name in Dallas. “Y-yes. That’s me,” Audrey stammered. “Didn’t I make it clear I was not to be disturbed?” she said, finding her footing again by taking out her frustration on the bellboy. She was deeply concerned by how easily she had been found out. She came to Dallas to feel anonymous, but apparently even the safety of a pseudonym didn’t completely hide her. “My sincerest apologies, Miss Abrams. This man is trespassing. I was just about to call the police.” “Wait just a moment. I’ve simply come to deliver a package from my employer, Silas Abrams,” the older man responded. “Silas Abrams? As in, the owner of Jacqueline’s?” The bellboy blushed, immediately realizing he was challenging a very powerful member of Dallas society. “Yes! Now leave me, or I will report this incident to your supervisor!” Within a moment, the young employee swiftly departed, profusely apologizing as he ran out of sight. “I’m terribly sorry, Miss Rousseau. I tried with all my ability to slip in and out of here unnoticed, but you were difficult to locate. I had to pull quite a few strings to find the guest list with your alias on it. My name is Mason Bryant, by the way. I serve as the personal assistant to both Max and Silas.” “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Bryant. And I’m impressed by your detective work, I must admit. And please forgive my inappropriate attire. I wasn’t exactly expecting guests,” Audrey said as she looked

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down at her nightwear. “I’m usually up by this hour working, but I’m afraid I’ve gotten a bit of a slow start on the morning.” “No need for explanations, Miss Rousseau. I simply came to deliver this, courtesy of Master Silas. My apologies that the gift didn’t arrive here in its intended state.” The courteous man handed the gift to Audrey and was gone within a moment. She exhaled deeply as she shut the door, relieved the intruder hadn’t been someone with ill intentions. Her heart still skipped a beat when she thought of being woken suddenly in the night by an unwelcome guest bound and determined to do her harm. But she hated to think of the past, of all that old fear and pain, and immediately pushed it from her mind in favor of examining the box now lying on her vanity. She was safe in Dallas, embarking on a new life thousands of miles from Paris and the past. She carefully opened the strangely shaped leather case, removing the silk ribbon and undoing the clasps holding it shut. Inside sat a grey felt cowboy hat, cut long and petite in what Audrey guessed was a Texas gesture towards femininity. She lifted the hat out of its strange box and discovered a large velvet pouch beneath the charming and entertaining welcome gift to this strange new place. She opened the pouch and spilled the contents across the vanity so she could examine them more closely. Across the smooth marble top spread a pile of beautiful pearl buttons, far more than Silas had marred the previous evening on her prized jacket. At the bottom of the pile sat a tiny, handwritten note. Dear Miss Rousseau, I am thrilled to make your acquaintance and hope you will accept this gesture as an official welcome to Texas. Please forgive my trespasses last night. Will you chalk it up to temporary insanity? Here’s to a thousand pearl buttons and a future of endlessly fruitful collaborations. Yours, Silas R. Abrams

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P.S. Might you be interested in attending a party at our home, The Arches, on Saturday evening? A telegraph will arrive this afternoon with details. She put on the hat and laughed at her reflection in the large vanity mirror. She looked like a different person, someone she didn’t know and never imagined meeting. Did women here really wear these hats? As she stared at this new version of herself, she thought about Silas’ note, such a mixture of the formal and the affectionate. Where did she stand with him? And, more importantly, what did she want? She had no intention of playing games with him and expected the same from him. Last night was a moment, a luscious interlude that meant nothing and ultimately remained quite innocent. Although Silas filled her with desire in a way she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in years, if ever, she knew from experience that business and pleasure couldn’t—and shouldn’t—mix. Drawing a bath in her tub, she enjoyed keeping the cowboy hat on while stripping off her silky layers and submerging her body in the deep, hot water. She added some soap flakes and let the bubbles rise to the top edge of the porcelain. Her whole body relaxed, and she hummed an old tune from her childhood as she scrubbed herself clean. She carefully placed her wonderfully exotic new possession on the table next to her and dipped low in the tub, soaking her hair in the water in preparation for a long wash. She caressed each body part with the luxurious soap the hotel provided her, and she couldn’t help but be consumed by thoughts of the previous night as her hands travelled across the private spaces of her torso. She had to admit that the memory of Silas tearing open her blouse, hungry to explore the contents hiding beneath the thin layers of fabric, were a potent enough memory to make her want to explode. She dipped her fingers deep inside herself, imagining what was hiding beneath the leather belt around his hips. She pictured unfastening his pants and exploring him with her tongue and lips, taking the

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impressive girth of his cock all the way into her mouth. She imagined the pleasure of making him moan, and the glorious feeling of knowing this man had completely succumbed to his desire for her alone. She let her fingers roam across her slick folds, paying special attention to the swollen ridge that made her entire body quake when she ran her fingers over it. She thought of the way Silas looked at her, so unafraid, so free. He was so different than the stuffy, uptight men in Paris who always tried and failed to court her. They were humorless, sexless and selfish, only interested in themselves. But Silas was so different. He seemed so ravenous, so interested and excited to explore her body. Her fingers moved to the rapid rhythm of her beating heart, spreading the heat flowing from inside her. The pulsing inside her grew almost unbearable as she imagined a particular fantasy of hers she had yet to experience in real life. The picture of Silas tasting and exploring her with his mouth, of sucking the juices from inside of her and sampling her taste came rushing at her vividly. She dreamed at looking down at him as he fearlessly consumed her. The mental picture was enough to drive her over the edge almost immediately, and her pussy erupted into a seemingly endless series of deeply pleasurable spasms. She moaned and continued to slowly explore her most intimate parts, the orgasms coming in soft waves as she finally allowed herself to imagine Silas’ cock buried deep inside of her. She lay in the relaxing hot water of the bath panting as she let herself momentarily imagine all the pleasure Silas could bring to her. The attraction between them was more powerful than anything she had ever experienced. Just as her breathing had begun to slow, a loud knock sounded at her door. “Urgent telegram for Miss Belle Abrams!”

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Chapter Five “And why should I do this favor for you, Silas?” “I made a mistake and double booked myself, Max. Can’t you understand? I simply can’t leave Katherine alone tonight, and you know how damn fragile her ego is. If she saw me with Audrey, she’d explode.” “Why can’t Katherine take care of herself? Why does she need you to hold her hand every god damn minute of the day and night?” The last thing Max was interested in doing that evening was playing the part of charming host. He was too damn tired to even imagine the prospect of putting on a tux, much less smiling and nodding for an entire night. Not to mention the fact that he was buried under deadlines for three separate projects and completely stuck on all of them. Silas pulled him from his thoughts, refuting his protests by trying to elicit his sympathies for their old family friend. “Max, you know how hard she took it after that flop of a show last month. Her styles are just so outdated, and she can’t seem to catch up with the times. And she’s Jackie’s sister, for chrissakes. Have a little compassion.” “I’m sure you’ll figure out how to juggle them both,” Max replied gruffly and left Silas in the kitchen tying his bowtie. He knew he was unbearable to be around these days, but there was nothing he could do about it. He simply couldn’t forgive himself for Jackie’s death—it haunted him day and night, awake or asleep. The idea of spending time with Katie, the spitting image of her big sister, made his stomach ache. And the fact that Silas seemed to be getting over it all and moving on made it even worse. He spent tons of time

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with Katie and never once seemed to be pained by it. The gulf between him and his brother seemed to widen by the day, despite his failed efforts to forgive Silas for making peace with a past he simply couldn’t let go. He was trying his damnedest to be nice to his little brother, but he couldn’t help but feel jealous of him, jealous of his carefree nature, of the way things could just roll off him. Max had always been accused of being too intense, and he was sick of it. He poured himself a drink in his studio, locked the door and turned on his phonograph. He put on a slow jazz record he bought in Chicago several months before and let the soulful voice of the female singer wash over him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, determined to block the party out of his brain and all the chaos Audrey Rousseau seemed to be bringing into his life, even from afar. If she had made it this far, he was confident she could handle a typical party at The Arches on her own. **** During the drive out of Dallas, Audrey fell into an almost meditative state. Soaking in the dusk, she rapidly made her way down the dusty country road. She passed an occasional farmer on the side of the road, staring as she breezed by in her speedy sports car. A scarf wrapped around her head, her sunglasses shielding her eyes from view, she almost felt anonymous, a secret agent on her own mysterious mission. She missed being on the road like this, and memories from her wild trek kept her brain distracted from the actual task at hand. She may have been going to the party at the invitation of Silas, but she was bound and determined not to let her emotions get away from her. This was just a party, an opportunity to experience a real Texas social gathering.

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If that was the case, then why was her heart beating like a band of African drums? She pulled down the Abramses’ long, tree-lined gravel driveway and felt her pulse exploding in her veins. The private road seemed to weave and wind for miles, purposefully building anticipation for any visitor curious to see the home. Beyond gaining notoriety for Jacqueline’s, Max Abrams had also managed in the past several years to become quite well known in the architectural world for his cutting edge designs. Audrey gasped as she finally caught a distant glimpse of The Arches, Max’s showpiece, sitting on top of a tall hill and glowing in the light of early evening. The sprawl of the modern, clean lines of the lavish home seemed to rise magically from the landscape as if it were born from the very earth itself. From her vantage point on the road, she could already tell this was going to be a wild party. Despite the early hour, she could hear the buzz of the many, many guests and make out the sounds of a band playing a cheerful dance number. Lights twinkled across the wide expanse of property spreading from the elaborate house, beckoning her closer. As she continued traveling up the hill towards Max and Silas’ home, she spotted rows and rows of fancy cars lining the circle drive around the entranceway. Audrey was forced to park quite a distance from the door. As she walked towards the lavish home, she could smell the lush flower gardens she spotted from the drive. Horses lined a trim, modern stable, and she lingered alone with the gorgeous animals as she tried to swallow her unusual and irrational social anxiety. After several minutes of petting a particularly striking black stallion, she had the eerie, second sense she was not alone. She looked around, unable to shake the feeling of being observed. She glanced towards the house and caught a momentary glimpse of a silhouette in a window, followed by the swift movement of shutting blinds. The

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moment caused chills to run down your spine. Don’t get paranoid, Audrey. There’s no way he’s found you here. You’re safe. She continued giving herself a rhythmic, silent pep talk as she made her way down the ivy-covered arched walkway. Something inside her had been off for days, thrown by her encounter with Silas. She simply didn’t know what to make of their relationship, but she had to admit she felt excited to see him. As she made her way through the crowds of people standing around the pool, she held her head high as she felt the numerous pairs of eyes gazing at her. Women throughout the courtyard, in their cotton candy party gowns and elaborate hairdos, stood in marked difference to Audrey’s sober, trim little black dress that draped in layers of gauze along the slim curves of her petite frame. Her eyes scanning the dance floor, she looked everywhere for a glimpse of Silas. What was she to do if he couldn’t be found? She didn’t know a soul in the entire state, much less at the party. Could she go up and introduce herself to a group of people? How would someone go about doing that without coming off as strange? After nearly an hour of wandering through the crowds and trying to maintain her cool, she was on the verge of leaving. How could he do this to her? In the midst of the crowds of people, Audrey was more alone than she’d ever been in her entire life. “Miss Rousseau…” sounded a familiar voice behind her. “Oh, Mason! I’m so glad to see you. I’ve been looking for Silas,” she responded to the dapper man, dressed in a tuxedo, tails and a top hat. “But I’m on the verge of giving up and leaving. He knows how I hate to be left waiting, and he’s already made that mistake once.” “My apologies, Miss Rousseau. But Silas asked me to let you know he’s been detained and won’t be able to act as your host this evening.” “Detained? What the hell am I supposed to do? I don’t know a soul here!” She hated to let her frustration bubble so obviously to the

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surface, but she was never particularly talented at hiding her emotions. “Please let me show you into the private living quarters. No one else will disturb you and Silas will surely be back within the hour,” Mason said, his face filled with concern. “One hour, and then I’ll have to depart. You can tell him that, wherever he’s been detained.” Audrey hated the bite in her voice, the obvious sarcasm, but she couldn’t help but feel her jealous streak bubble to the surface. As she followed Silas’ loyal assistant into his home, she momentarily caught a glimpse of his golden hair and white seersucker suit at the opposite edge of the hilltop, hastily leading a tiny blonde woman away from the crowds of merrymakers. It was just a second, possibly even a delusion. Do not assume anything, Audrey. Do not make a scene here among your future friends and clients. Her blood boiled in her veins, but she managed to keep her mouth shut. “Please, Miss Rousseau. Make yourself comfortable here,” Mason said as he opened the wide arching doorway into the immaculate kitchen. Every surface gleamed with black and white tile and revealed something surprising. Everything was customized and built into the room, and a brand new electric stove and refrigerator called to her instinctual love for making elaborate meals and entertaining. She missed being the center of the party and the hostess of evenings like this. “I must leave you,” he said to Audrey apologetically. “But I’m confident Master Abrams will be here momentarily.” “Yes, Mason. I’m sure you have a million things to attend to on a night like this. I’ll be fine. Thank you for your kindness.” With a sigh of relief, he left her in the kitchen to see to his responsibilities. She gave herself a private tour, running her hand over the seemingly endless modern conveniences built into the trim and stylish room. No luxury had been spared here, and the beauty of the

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place overwhelmed her. She couldn’t help but think about how much her life had changed in the past ten years since she had left the orphanage. She imagined herself at sixteen in this room, a skinny, poor girl with no one and nothing to call her own. Her fingers thumbed the locket around her neck, the only photographs of her mother and father concealed inside the necklace. It was the only thing that remained of her childhood. So much hard work, so many risks…it was all worth it in moments like this, just to see a space so perfect. Audrey’s curiosity bubbled to the surface as she let herself wander from the kitchen into the living room, a space that seemed to naturally unfold from the open floor plan. Every piece of furniture, surface and detail echoed the similar careful thought and design of the kitchen, and every corner of the house felt warm and inviting. With each room opening into the next, she lost track of time and her anger at being left alone seemed to fade to the peripheries of her mind. She didn’t care to snoop in the brothers’ personal spaces and steered clear of any room with a closed door, but continued wandering on in curiosity. She crossed a threshold and realized she had passed out of the personal living quarters and into a massive wing of rooms clearly serving as a design studio. Work stations, complete with easels and drawing tools, took up most of the wide open space with two walls made of windows from floor to ceiling. A display case of architectural renderings and photographs of buildings and designs by Max and Silas took up another wall of the huge open space, and Audrey paused to look at the incredible array of things these brothers had accomplished. In the center of the case sat an ornately framed image of the Abrams brothers standing in front of the newly completed department store, smiling in front of a huge crowd of onlookers. In between Silas and Max stood a slender, petite blonde holding an oversized pair of scissors poised just above a ribbon around the entrance.

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“Miss Rousseau, I presume,” a voice echoed across the room from behind Audrey.

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Chapter Six Practically jumping out of her skin in surprise, Audrey quickly turned to see Max Abrams standing in the arched doorway. “Y-yes,” she responded, desperately trying to regain her composure. “And you must be…Max.” He walked across the room towards her, and she couldn’t help but gasp as she took in his appearance. He was much larger than he seemed in the magazine photo spread, towering above her small frame as he came to stand in front of her. He wore all black from head to toe, just like his picture, and his brown eyes shined with a dark intelligence. She couldn’t tell if Max was amused or annoyed by her appearance. “You distracted me from my work, Miss Rousseau. I see you know your way around horses. I’ve never seen Ace take such an immediate liking to someone before.” “Do you always spy on people at your parties and hide from your guests?” Audrey didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but she was disturbed by Max seeing her in such a private moment. “It’s not my party. Silas doesn’t bother to ask permission from me these days.” An awkward moment of silence passed between them as they looked at one another, unsure what to say. “Why don’t you come into my office?” Max finally said, his request sounding less like a question than a command. “I’ll fix you a drink and help you forget about Silas’ disappearance.” ****

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Without a word, Audrey followed him into his private room. As he silently poured the whiskey into two fresh glasses, he watched her watching him. Despite trying to cover it up in front of him, she had such a look of vulnerability on her face, of sadness. Could she be this affected by his brother’s absence? What had happened between them already? He couldn’t believe he had invited her into his private space on a night when he promised himself he would make progress on his work. But watching her at the stables with the horses, he couldn’t help but feel drawn in by her carefree beauty. He loved watching the way she didn’t hesitate to get close to the animals, unlatching and stepping just inside the doors as she let her hands gently stroke their sleek frames. She was both fearless and gentle, a rare and seductive combination of qualities to find in a woman. The smile he witnessed on her face during her quiet solitude with Ace had regrettably disappeared, replaced with an expression difficult to dissect. One dash anger, with a tincture of anxiety and a generous helping of curiosity? Whatever it was, she looked alive and overflowing with emotions. “Here’s a bit of medicine, Miss…may I call you Audrey?” Max couldn’t believe the tenderness this stranger had awoken inside of him. He handed her his favorite drink, a dry Manhattan, after dropping two maraschino cherries in the concoction with a bit of flair and a smile. “Of course. I’m in far too deep to care for formalities at this point.” She flopped down in Max’s favorite chair, one of his own designs, seemingly exhausted. “I’m sorry for Silas’ inconsiderate behavior. I can’t explain it to you right now, but I promise it was for a good reason.” “He left me there to flounder. I felt like a party crasher without an invitation,” she responded, the anger flashing in her eyes.

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“I suppose you’ve always been the life of the fête. I bet you were the queen bee of every debutante ball in Paris.” “Oh, how wrong you are, Mr. Abrams. I think the closest I came to a debutante ball as a girl was sewing their dresses late into the night at my first job. I knew nothing of that life.” Max was taken off guard by the honesty and sincerity in her response and didn’t know what to say. For once, he had no comeback, no sharp reply. “Forgive me, Max. None of this is your fault. Although I’m admittedly still intrigued by your antisocial tendencies.” She took a long gulp of the cocktail and forced a smile onto her lips. A stirring deep from within made him desperately want to hold her, to apologize for ignoring his brother’s request for his assistance. Her awful evening could have been avoided if he hadn’t insisted on remaining a recluse in his own damn house. A long moment of silence passed between them as he sat beside her and looked into her emerald eyes. “I should have come to find you, Audrey. Silas asked me to see to you, but I was too preoccupied with work and was annoyed by the interruption. Then I saw you with the horses and knew I had made a terrible mistake leaving you to the wolves out there. I’m glad I found you in here. I was just coming to look for you.” “Are they that bad?” she responded quietly, her eyes widening as they stared at one another. He wondered if she, too, was struck by the chemistry between them. “Well, they’re very different from you, that’s for sure. I doubt Silas has told you anything about Male Order, or Dallas for that matter. It’s a close-knit community, and everyone—especially the women—is surprised when an outsider arrives. They’ll devour your designs, though, I’m sure of it. I can practically hear them talking about you from here. They’re looking around at one another and realizing that something new and different has arrived.”

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Audrey visibly blushed at his honesty with her. She broke their intense gaze by looking down into her drink, clearly contemplating every word Max shared with her. She cleared her throat and changed the subject. “What did you put in here? Do all Americans make such strong cocktails, or is it a family trait?” “We’re just trying to loosen you up, that’s all.” With that statement, Audrey frowned. Max couldn’t remember the last time he’d put his foot in his mouth like that. “Come on, now! That’s not what I meant.” He took a deep breath and tried to shift the mood. “So, tell me something, will you? It’s quite an adventurous move to come all this way. Was it really us you came to see?” She smiled at the question. “Yes, but not for what you might think, Mr. Abrams. Let’s get that straight. I think you need me,” she replied, the confidence back in her voice. You have no idea. Max cleared his throat and tried to quiet the growing bulge between his legs by readjusting his position in the chair. It didn’t help that she was sitting so close to him he could smell her signature perfume. The scent was so uniquely hers it alone aroused something profound inside him. “Is that so, Miss Rousseau? And why do you think that?” he replied, leaning out of his chair just enough so their knees were an inch from touching. “Hasn’t Silas shown you my drawings? I assumed you two talked about everything.” “Not these days. We’ve been living quite separate lives since…” He trailed off, unable to find a way to neatly explain the rift between them. “I would like to see your designs, of course.” “Well, Silas has the only copy of the drawings. But I made a muslin mockup of a few of the garments from memory yesterday. It’s a men’s line for your store. Would you like to see them?”

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“A men’s line, yes, Silas mentioned it to me. I would love to see them. Of course.” She was gone from the room before he had a chance to ask another question. **** As she returned from her car with the rough garments, her pulse raced. Why was she on the verge running? She wasn’t sure, but she felt as if her heart was ready to explode. She reentered the room breathless and dizzy and held up her experiment for Max to see. “Go ahead, try it on. I’ll just…turn around,” Audrey said in response to his confused look as she handed him the garments. He smiled and nodded in agreement as she turned to face away from him. “Drop the blinds, will you?” Max requested. She eagerly obliged his request, careful not to inadvertently see anything she wasn’t supposed to. She heard his clothes drop to the floor once he had sufficient privacy from any prying eyes. The sound of the fabric hitting the floor stopped her cold in her tracks. Immediately she felt her pussy soak with the image of Max standing so near to her almost naked. Why had she started this? What was she expecting? And even if she was frustrated with Silas for abandoning her at the party, that certainly wasn’t a reason to mistakenly seduce his brother. There was no doubt in her mind about it—she was equally attracted to both Abramses, despite the vast differences between them. But there was no way she could ever have them both, and the idea of having to choose between them caused a ripple of pain to echo through her body. “Audrey? I…need a little bit of help here, I think,” Max said, awakening her from her thoughts.

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She turned around and smiled to see him in the rough version of her design. Even in the coarse fabric, he managed to look dapper. How did he do that? She crossed to him and began making adjustments, immediately making mental notes about what needed to be changed. She was used to tailoring men’s suits, but never for a man like this before. Her heart raced as she kneeled to adjust the wide leg of the pants she designed specifically for him. Looking up at him, she took out the measuring tape from her sewing kit and examined the changes she would need to make. “I’m afraid I underestimated the necessary size for you…” She knew at that moment her face was turning a deep shade of crimson. Bent up from the floor, it was impossible to miss the unmistakable sight of the erection stretching the inseam of the delicate pants to the hilt. He looked down at her, his nearly obsidian eyes turned black with desire. Before she knew what was happening, he was on the floor with her, his thick, muscular frame draped over her. For a single moment they lay on the cool stone, their eyes locked and both their chests panting an ecstatic rhythm. Before she could protest or even grasp onto logical thought, Max had flipped her on top of him and was kissing every surface of her mouth, neck and cheeks with an almost ferocious hunger. His massive hands explored every surface of her body. Straddled above the thick muscles of his torso, she looked down in amazement as some feral beast seemed to be unleashed from inside him. She had never been wanted like this before. He invaded the inside of her mouth with his tongue and conquered each part of her he explored. His hands firmly smoothed their way down her torso and roughly grabbed hold of her hips, grinding her into his erection with a ferocious rhythm. With a surprisingly smooth action, Max managed to unzip Audrey’s dress in one swift movement, immediately exposing her

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bare torso to him before she could do anything to protest. He suddenly stopped, pausing to look up at her and take in the sight of her exposed flesh. He smiled widely as he ran his hands up the gentle curve of her hips and pressed her down on top of him. “Audrey…you are too damn much…” he growled in her ear. He sat up and wrapped her arms around her neck as he deftly came to standing in one smooth motion. Her legs straddled his torso as he carried her to his desk, swiftly pushing off the stacks of neatly piled papers onto the floor. He spread her body down across the newly bare surface and pulled her half open dress all the way off of her. She was completely nude from the waist up except for her locket necklace, with only stockings and her garter belt covering her lower half. Her nipples pebbled at the sight of him standing over her still fully clothed in her design. Her heart leapt inside her chest as he stared down at her. He looked identical to the American pioneer man she had always imagined finding in Texas, his massive muscles heaving as his breath grew heavy with desire. She couldn’t believe this man was actually related to Silas. The differences between them were stunning. Silas. Dammit. “Max, I can’t…” She tried to find the words, any words for that matter, as he leaned over her and slowly ran his tongue around the edges of her taut nipples. He murmured an unintelligible response as his kisses alternated with light but forceful nips on both of her breasts, tormenting her with a divine mixture of pleasure and pain. Every ounce of her body was telling her this was right, and the flood of moisture flowing from her spread a delicious heat throughout her body. Yet the image of Silas kept haunting her. Audrey struggled against Max, loving the feeling of him pushing back and holding her firmly in place. He let the muscled weight of his body settle on top of her as he continued to plunder her mouth.

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“Max, please…” She couldn’t find the words to stop him, didn’t want to stop him. But Silas’ azure eyes kept haunting her, and the prospect of ruining what they had forever made her ache uncontrollably. She had unleashed something deep inside the older Abrams, a feral hunger she guessed had lain dormant for quite some time. His gaze burned into her as she finally gathered the strength to push him away. “Please, Max,” she said forcefully as he withdrew from her embrace, a distant look filling his eyes. He looked ravenous, a panther ready to attack his prey. “I can’t do this. I may be angry with Silas, but this isn’t fair to do to him.” He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, and seemed to gather his wits. The primal look on his face faded, and he let out a low chuckle. “Don’t worry about my little brother, Audrey. He’s been begging me to do this for years.” “Begging you to do what?” she inquired as she did her best to cover herself. “Steal the woman he’s courting? I’m sorry, I do not understand at all.” “We may be polar opposites, Miss Rousseau, but in one area of our lives, we’ve never had any trouble sharin’,” Max replied, his mischievous look making his brown eyes glimmer with trouble. With this devilish look on his face, she could suddenly see the resemblance between the two men. It was exactly what she witnessed at the speakeasy just two nights previously. Audrey sat up, shocked but intrigued by his ambiguous statement. “You mean you’ve shared women before?” Suddenly, she realized someone stood behind her. There was Silas, crashing this party of two at just the wrong—or right—moment. “Yes, we prefer it. We’ve always done it,” Silas said with a grin, clearly amused by her confusion. “And I see you’ve met my brother,” he added from the doorway with a chuckle.

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“Silas, I…I don’t know what to say.” Audrey wracked her brain, trying to remember if she’d come across any mention of ménage in the research she’d done about Texas before her journey. No, this is a new one on me. “Is this some Texas thing I am unaware of?” She did her best to make it sound like a joke, but she wasn’t kidding at all. “Well, to be totally honest, it is here in Male Order. We can explain more about that later. But no, I would venture to say this is anything but the norm in most of America.” “I can’t say I completely understand,” Audrey replied, trying to hide the confusion that clouded her vision. She tried desperately to gather her wits and calm the primitive desire that suddenly consumed her body as she imagined being with both of these men at once. “You don’t have to understand right now, although we’d be glad to show you,” Silas said, smiling from the doorway. She was speechless, overwhelmed with emotions. Shouldn’t Silas hate her for finding them in such an intimate entanglement? And why was he grinning, his eyes glowing with mischief and lust? **** “The suit looks good on you, Max. Let me take a look. I trust you haven’t ruined the prototype with your surprise little romp.” Silas crossed towards his brother and Audrey, shocked but thrilled by the scenario he had stumbled upon in Max’s office. He had come searching for her, terrified she had left before he could escape his woeful responsibility of the evening. Taking care of the fragile ego of Jackie’s sister, Katherine, wasn’t exactly his favorite activity, but it was a necessary evil for keeping the fragile relationship of Male Order’s five founding families in check. Katherine needed Silas right now. There was no denying that she was a pain in his ass, but she was family, nonetheless.

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Silas approached his brother and straightened the disheveled suit draping Max’s body. “The lines are perfect, Audrey. It’s going to be a hit, I just know it. But tonight isn’t about business, and I’m sorry for all the time I’ve lost. There were many people I wanted you to meet, so much I want to show you here at The Arches. What do you think about it?” Audrey was clearly confused by his lack of anger at the scenario he had stumbled upon. If she had been angry at being left alone at the party, as Mason warned him she was, all that seemed to be left was a gorgeous bewilderment at the news of the brothers’ way of life. “From what I’ve seen, it’s beautiful,” Audrey managed to say, still looking from Silas back to Max, obviously trying to understand who they were and how they operated. “A house for the twentieth century, there’s no doubt about it. I wish someone had taken the time to show me around, but I did all right alone.” “I want to make it up to you, Audrey,” Silas responded, taking her hand into his. “Let me give you my special tour, okay? We can forget that the first part of this evening ever happened. The important thing is that you’re here with us now.” She looked him square in the eye and pulled away, putting as much space as possible between them. “It’s not that easy, Silas! The two of you can’t explode into my life and expect me not to question your actions. I know how men are, the way you can just use women up and toss them without a second thought. I won’t be a toy for you two. I came here to meet with you both because I want to change the future of fashion in America, not because I wanted to be some piece of ass for two Texas playboys.” Silas couldn’t help but notice how gorgeous she looked as the anger rose to her cheeks in a deep blush. Her emerald eyes flashed with passion as she stared them down in silence, waiting for their response.

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Before he could swing in to rescue their situation, Max chimed in, firmly holding Audrey by the shoulders and looking her straight in the eye. “Look, I barely know you. I don’t know what words or moments passed between you and my brother. And I know the way we live is a bit…unorthodox. But you have to believe me when I tell you that we don’t play around. We only open the door when we find something truly exceptional.” Silas was amazed to hear his brother speaking this way. Locked behind a cloud of grief and loss for the past three years, Max had barely spoken three sentences in a row to anyone if it wasn’t strictly related to business. What had she unlocked in him? “Just stay the night, Audrey. Tomorrow we’ll have breakfast and talk business. You can go on your merry way back to Dallas and forget all about what’s happened here, if you wish. But we would never use you. You are far too special, you must know that,” Silas added to his brother’s argument. He locked eyes with her, attempting with all of his spirit to melt her inhibitions. What had she been through in the past, to want to guard herself from something so obviously right? “Stay the night here with both of you. Together.” The words slowly leapt from her tongue as she appeared to be processing what could happen between them. She looked from Silas to Max, and then at Silas once again. Her eyes filled silently with a lust she seemed desperate to conceal. Silas watched her as she closed her eyes for a moment and took a long, deep breath. After the brief pause, she seemed sharp once again, ready to play the game he and his brother had laid before her. “Nine AM, sharp. I want you prepared to make a presentation to me about the past, present and future of the company. And I will in turn tell you about my vision and what I might offer you.” “We’ll roll out the red carpet for you. You will learn more than you ever wished to know about our store,” Silas retorted.

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“Facts and figures included. I have quite a head for business, you must realize.” “I realize, Miss Rousseau. I realize,” Silas said as he closed the distance separating their two bodies. He played at examining her head, running his fingers through her soft, brunette cropped locks as he forcefully pulled her into him. He kissed her on the mouth with unspoken authority, making her body immediately soften in his arms. After a long kiss, he stepped back and cupped her face in his hands, silently reassuring her as they stared into each others’ eyes. Their approach clearly succeeded as she seemed to melt when Silas reached again for her hand, this time achieving victory. She returned the warmth of Silas’ charismatic smile as he led her towards the door, with Max just behind them. “You best behave, Mr. Abrams. I’m watching you,” she said playfully as they crossed the threshold of the studio. “I want to show you everything,” Silas added with a whisper in her ear as they made their way towards the living quarters.

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Chapter Seven “And this is the master bedroom suite,” Max said with an air of mock formality as the three of them reached the end of the long corridor of rooms. He face suddenly became serious as his gaze searched her face. He quietly added, “It currently remains unoccupied.” She wondered at his soft, thoughtful tone as his hand paused for a moment on the handles of a pair of heavy French doors. He finally led them into the most luxurious room Audrey had ever seen, decorated from floor to ceiling in rich shades of gold and mahogany. Thick drapes hung from a wall of windows and an enormous canopy of silk lined a massive bed clearly built for three. The room was incredibly comfortable yet felt more like a hotel than a home. She wondered why and how they could possibly leave such a miraculous room unused. The three of them paused quietly as they took in the empty feeling, immaculate space. She glanced from one brother’s face to the other, mirrored reflections of desire engulfing her before she could pause to think. Silas shut the doors behind them as Max closed the distance between them, his fingers reaching out to gently stroke her hair. The silence of the room was stark, their breaths the only audible sounds in the cavernous space. Her heart leapt wildly in her chest as she looked from one man to the other. She did her best to calm the wild combination of panic and hunger coursing through her veins. How had this happened? She longed to let go completely and surrender to the gorgeous absurdity of the moment.

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Both men closed in on her, no longer hesitating for another second. She felt as if they were there with her in that moment entirely, all other cares in the world temporarily falling by the wayside. As they both peered down at Audrey, a low moan surfaced from somewhere deep inside her, a foreign sound to match the unfamiliar sensations radiating through her as they slowly began to stroke her body. Her backside leaning against Max, she braced herself as Silas explored the depths of her mouth and slowly ran his hands down the length of her torso. He palmed the gentle curve of her hips through the fabric of her dress and firmly held her in place between the two men. Silas fearlessly captured her lips with his, his tongue making lazy spirals, then deeper and deeper circles with hers. Audrey became acutely aware of the levels of sensation happening simultaneously, simply through his soulful kiss. The subtle scratch of his five o’clock shadow combined with the caress of his tongue caused a trickle of moisture to spread down her thighs, and she deliriously surrendered herself to the manic rhythm of his explorations. Her muscles settled into the firm hold of Max’s body against her back and buttocks. His enormous frame enveloped hers as he held her tightly against him, the back of her head pressed against the hard planes of his chest. “Come over here with me, darlin’,” Max whispered in her ear as he took her hand. “Let’s get you comfortable.” He sat down in the wide armchair behind them and gently pulled her backwards onto his lap. She stretched out along the length of his body, and the firm edges of his muscles pressed against her deliciously. Holding her tightly against him, she could feel the hard span of his cock pressing through the layers of cotton and silk that separated their bodies and kept them from acting as one. Audrey nuzzled her head into the strong curve of Max’s neck, taking in the rich, earthy scent of cedar, whiskey and hazelnut. She

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smiled to herself as she memorized his unique smell. She would be taking this one to the lab the moment she had the chance. Silas leaned down over them and knelt on the plush rug in front of the two entwined in the chair. He looked up at Audrey, his eyes glowing with hunger. He ran his hands up her legs, palming the smooth curves of flesh and gathering the fabric in his fists. He revealed her bare thighs beneath the cloth, causing all three new lovers to groan as he smoothed his hands over her bare skin. In the same moment, Max swiftly unzipped the top of her dress, pushing the fabric down her shoulders as he let his lips and tongue wander the delicate trail from her ear to her collarbone. Her pussy soaked the moment he let one side of her dress fall away, revealing her bare breast to the cool air of the huge bedroom. Two sets of expectant eyes widened with anticipation, and Max immediately thumbed the tender edges of her erect nipple made firm with arousal. The simultaneous sensation of Silas’ whiskers against her thighs and Max’s firm grip on her aching breast caused her to buck her hips with need. There was no going back now, that was for sure. They had successfully unlocked the hunger she had so carefully tried to stifle for her entire adult life. “I need to see her, Max. Get that dress out of our way,” Silas said hungrily. “You are so goddamn beautiful, Audrey,” Max whispered, his breath coming in short staccato bursts. “I’m getting this off of you now.” Before she could even form a thought, much less a protest, Max leaned her forward and unzipped her dress all the way. The two brothers masterfully worked together to free her of the fabric. Mere moments later, she was stripped entirely nude. “Not much of a fan of undergarments, I’ve noticed,” Silas added with his infamous grin as he looked up at Audrey, her dress clutched between his fists.

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Despite the blood rushing madly through her veins, she couldn’t help but feel immensely turned on by being naked in front of them. She took a deep breath and replied. “I disdain feeling trapped in an article of clothing. Why should I bother? I love to be free, above everything else,” she responded, playing his game. At her response, she could see the suave man’s jaw go slack. Had she really shocked Silas Abrams, the rising star of American fashion? She laughed out loud at the look on his face but realized immediately they weren’t laughing with her. “What’s so funny, hmm?” Max replied, pulling her hips backwards into the fierce erection pressing against his trousers. “Nothing. I just like being able to shock you both with something so simple,” Audrey retorted, looking Silas deep in the eyes. Silas came to standing and immediately bent down and lifted her from Max’s lap into his arms. “Sorry, sugar, but there is nothing you could do that would shock us. We’re just enjoying your exotic ways,” he whispered into her ear as he carried her across the room to the huge bed. The tips of her fingers dug into his back. Even through the layers of his suit, she could feel the fine, firm muscles of his body hungry to be explored. Max joined his brother at the edge of the bed, looking down at Audrey like a predator before breakfast. The brothers made eye contact with each another and simultaneously began removing their jackets and vests. The depths of her burned with expectation as they slowly unbuttoned their shirts, a silent offering of their bodies as she watched the show unfold in front of her. She stared at their half nude torsos, taking in the sight of each man’s exquisite musculature. She couldn’t help but notice the long, pale scar running the length of Max’s chest, a mark that seemed to rest perfectly between his lungs. What secrets did these men hold? Every part of her longed to discover them.

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“Get over here,” she pleaded, rivulets of her juices baptizing her thighs at the sight of them above her. She felt as if every part of her were melting into the softness of the oversized bed clearly built to accommodate the brothers’ massive sizes. Still clothed from the waist down, the two of them grinned mischievously at one another, obviously enjoying the sight of her, naked and ravenous, in their bed. Max moaned as he kneeled on the bed above Audrey. With one swift movement, he leaned over the edge of the bed and grabbed her firmly around her waist. He lifted her body over his lap, her knees straddling each of his thighs and her ass held high in the air by his careful hold. The pleasure magnified as his hand dipped below to her pussy, already soaking wet by the scene unfolding around her. The sensation rushed through every part of her, her whole body clenching against his touch as he gently ran his hand from her cunt backwards to her buttocks. “She’s dripping, Silas,” Max exclaimed as his fingers lightly wandered over the crevice of her buttocks and gently underneath into the puckered hole of her pussy. The moment his finger entered her, she arched her back and let out a carnal sound she had never imagined could come from inside her. “You best share the moment, big brother,” Silas responded. He took over for his brother, immediately pinning her to the bed. “I’ve been waiting for this since the moment I saw you speeding off from the store. You enjoy making a grand escape, don’t you, Audrey? Always trying to stay one step ahead of us, hmm? Well, not this time.” His mischievous grin shone wider than she’d ever seen it before. Silas sat above her, straddling her nude body. The fine cloth of his seersucker pants brushed against her bare legs, driving her wild with anticipation of what hid beneath them.

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“My god, look at you,” he murmured as he bent down to press his fingers through her hair. Pulling her face towards his, he added, “You’re never going to forget tonight, baby. I promise.” Gathering her strength, she issued a challenge to both brothers, her eyes flashing with defiance as she looked at both the man on top of her and the one attentively watching from the edge of the bed. “What makes you think you’re so damn good at this, huh? You men think you are so much in control, but just you wait until—” Before she could finish her statement, Silas had descended upon her, devouring her from top to bottom. His lips immediately lunged towards the gentle swell of her breasts, devouring each inflamed nipple with a ravenous, ruthless agenda. Her hips bucked as he smoothed his hands down her torso and grabbed the underside of her bare hips, pulling her cunt towards his mouth recklessly. She instinctually ran her nails over his scalp as his mouth hungrily made its way to a breath’s distance from her swollen clit. “I have to taste you, Audrey.” She let out a deep groan as his tongue reached its destination, plunging into her folds without hesitation. He masterfully alternated the sensations raging through her body, feverishly tasting her one moment and then teasing her with light, ticklish kisses the next. His fingers wove in and out of her in a mesmerizing rhythm, already bringing her nearer to the edge of something she had never experienced before. Her thighs clamped against his face as he let his tongue loop circles over her most intimate parts. “Relax, Audrey. We’re not in any rush here,” he said as he paused his explorations momentarily to gaze at her. She nodded silently as she looked down at Silas, and they locked eyes for a long moment, the heat between them coursing through her body like her very own pulse. Max leaned over the bed, his eyes never leaving the sight of her body being pushed to the limits of sheer pleasure.

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She looked at the older Abrams and saw a grimace pass over his face as the pants he still wore stretched to the hilt, containing his massive erection seemingly by magic. Audrey, momentarily battling the sensations coursing through her, smiled at Max. “Get those pants off your body, immediately. I will not have my hard work ruined by your unruly cock!” The three of them laughed at the beauty and absurdity of the moment, Max immediately obliging her with an obedient, “yes, ma’am” like a good Texas boy should. **** He couldn’t take it anymore. Max wasn’t exactly the voyeuristic type—he was a man of action, above all else. As much as it turned him on to watch Audrey on the verge of her first orgasm with them, he knew his cock wouldn’t sit idly by. Her amazing responsiveness enthralled and overwhelmed him. Before Audrey had even blinked, Max had managed to gracefully strip himself of her carefully designed slacks and his undergarments. He kneeled next to her, his cock throbbing as the realization washed over him that nothing separated their naked bodies any longer. Tonight is not a night for the past. Tonight is for Audrey. The mantra rang in his head, a new sensation of being present in the moment allowing his body to relax fully for the first time in years. She immediately raised herself to face the full evidence of his hunger for her, her eyes intensely locking with his after she took in the sight of him. “Let me have you,” she said as they stared at one another. He gladly complied with her hungry request, moving to straddle her shoulders, his engorged member thick with the most intense arousal he could remember feeling for a terribly long time. He groaned as she leaned forward and kissed the head of his cock. With a quick flick of her tongue to dampen her lips, she carefully took

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him into her mouth, the sensation almost immediately proving to be too much. With one hand around the base of his cock, she controlled the steady rhythm of their simultaneous pleasure as she began to writhe beneath him, the ecstasy of the moment obvious in her eyes. Everything slowed to a halt as the three of them moved in glorious clockwork with one another, the excitement building with each second passing. “I can’t take too much more of this, Audrey,” Max moaned through clenched teeth. Animalistic grunts ricocheted off the walls, but it took him a moment to realize they were coming from deep inside of him. He could feel the pure pleasure rushing through him as the moment closed in around them all, and he was unable to stop it for even a second longer. The waves of release threatened to wash over him as the orgasm began to overtake every sense in his body. Moments later, she groaned her climax as Silas devoured her madly, no longer allowing her orgasm to wait. The beauty of her face as she crossed the threshold into ecstasy enthralled him, the ultimate joy of watching her experience completely overwhelming him. The sight was enough to send him over the edge once and for all, allowing the release to consume him entirely. He abandoned himself to the surreal turn this night had taken. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined this new and beautiful thing crashing fullforce into his life. Gasping for breath, he looked down at her as he continued processing the moment they had just shared. “You are so damn beautiful, Audrey,” he said as he collapsed next to her. She smiled quietly, a contemplative look spreading across her face. He looked carefully at her, taking in her unique details. He loved her intelligent jade eyes, her elegant, long neck, the look of her tousled short hair on their pillow. He almost forgot about Silas at the edge of the bed, her presence was so captivating. For the first time in a long time, he felt awake again, alive with need and desire. His

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whole body radiated with sensation as tried his damndest to keep himself in check. She stroked his hair as they lay face to face, their bodies silently recovering from their first experience together. Audrey leaned into him and tenderly kissed his mouth and the gentle, intimate moment cooled him with its lingering nectar. He pulled her closer into him, and she let her body splay over his, the gentle, petite curves spread in contrast against his muscles. As they kissed, she occasionally turned to look at Silas, seemingly beckoning him with her entrancing stare. “What are you doing all the way down there, hmmm?” she murmured to Silas, who seemed mesmerized at the foot of the bed. **** “I was just asking myself the very same question. This evening is far from over, Miss Rousseau. If you think that was the end of it, you are sadly mistaken.” Silas couldn’t help but be a bit of a smartass right now. His engorged cock demanded attention, and it wasn’t going to wait a moment longer. Audrey’s eyes widened as she watched Silas free himself from the strain of his slacks. Now completely nude and kneeling behind her, his raging erection made it clear he would have her. Now. She began to remove herself from Max’s arms, but Silas stopped her. “Don’t move, Audrey, I want you just where you are.” A low groan escaped her throat as he moved in behind her, his heart’s quickening pulse making his cock throb visibly with the need to be inside her. Audrey seemed to regain her strength as she lifted her ass up in the air for him, her body still splayed across Max beneath her. Max again captured her lips with his, and Silas was amazed by how natural this all felt to be together as one. As their nude bodies tangled together on the bed, his overwhelming need to have her flooded through him. He leaned in

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over her protruding backside and licked a line down her spine to the curve of her ass cheeks. She groaned at his action, turning her head to look at him as he cupped the perfect globes in his hands. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Silas asked as she leaned back into Max, the softness of her breasts gently disappearing into the hard muscle of his brother’s chest. “Mmm hmm,” she murmured as she kissed Max hard on the mouth. Silas took his throbbing cock firmly in his left hand as grasped the porcelain skin of her torso. “I have to have you,” Silas groaned, his cock throbbing with need. She looked back at him again, and the sensuous glimmer in her eye told him she was ready. He slowly pressed the length of him all the way inside her tight, still quivering pussy. Audrey pushed her backside into him and groaned, the rhythm of their bodies moving together escalating as Silas forcefully grabbed onto the petite swell of her hips and set an intense pace. The sheer pleasure of their movements consumed both of them, everything else melting away except the sound of the rain falling against the windowpanes and the soft moans of pleasure simultaneously escaping their throats. She gently glided up and down on his cock, her hips bucking in the air as she and Max continued their intimate embrace. Silas nearly exploded as her wet cunt enveloped him to the hilt. He couldn’t help but love this animalistic position and set an increasingly manic rhythm. “Touch your clit, baby. I want you to come again for me,” Silas murmured as the rhythm enveloped him. “I can help with that,” Max said with a grin as he gently reached between her legs. Audrey seemed to lose herself in the pleasure of the moment, relentlessly bouncing her ass back and forth against him. She seemed to melt around his cock, her pussy clenching tighter and tighter as she

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approached her second release. The feeling of her closing in around his stiff shaft drove him towards the edge of climax and he fought to slow time, to save the perfection of the moment. She convulsed around him, a frenzied, divine moment that reverberated through both of them. As the waves of her pleasure radiated through him, he could wait no longer. He exploded deep inside of her, calling her name at his final release. Several long, silent minutes passed after it was all over. The only sounds in the room were the slow gasps of the lovers as they all struggled to catch their breath. She murmured something incoherent as Silas gently pulled himself from inside of her and lay in the middle of the bed. He settled in beside her and traced her silhouette with one hand, his fingers wandering the perfect smoothness of her skin. He let his fingers brush the gentle curve of her bottom as his face rested behind hers. Silas leaned over onto his side and brushed his hands through the thick brunette strands splayed across the pillow, tenderly untangling the locks piece by piece. “You’re amazing, Audrey,” he whispered in her ear. She murmured in response, but her slow, heavy breaths let Silas know she had already slipped into the quietude of sleep. Max assisted Silas in delicately rearranged her heavy limbs towards the center of the bed. “Seems like we did a good job convincing her it was worth it to stay,” Max said as he stared down at their completely unconscious lover. “Isn’t she amazing? I knew you’d feel the same way if you gave her a chance,” Silas responded, thrilled to see a glimmer of the brother he used to know. A long moment of quiet passed between the two of them, Max clearly struggling to distance himself from his emotions.

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Finally, he cleared he throat. “You ready to work tomorrow mornin’, baby brother? Don’t let the love cloud your vision and let you forget how much is at stake right now.” “Who said anything about love, Max? And I haven’t forgotten a thing. I’ve got my priorities in order,” Silas quietly retorted, desperate not to wake Audrey from her angelic slumber. “I can see it in your eyes. You’re an open book, Silas. Always were, always will be.” “She’s special, Max. And you know it. It’s written all over your goddamn face. If you think you can hide that from me, you are dead wrong.” He couldn’t admit it, but Silas saw the vulnerability in his brother’s gaze that told the truth, no matter how stubborn a front he managed to hold. His silence spoke volumes.

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Chapter Eight The luscious scents of fresh bread and coffee awoke Audrey from her deep sleep. “Miss Rousseau?” Her eyes darted around the room as she heard the familiar voice. She instinctually covered her naked body, confused at the source of the address. “My apologies for the intrusion, but Max and Silas have requested I wake you and direct you to the veranda for breakfast.” “Mason? Where…” “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. It’s the intercom. It’s set to the two-way function so that we could communicate with you. And you with us, of course. The men had to attend to some business but will be back momentarily. Breakfast will be served at the outdoor breakfast nook whenever you are ready. I must leave for Dallas immediately, so just leave everything when you are finished and I will attend to it when I return.” “I’ll be there momentarily.” Audrey arose from the luxurious bed filled with ideas about how best to spend the morning. On the bedside table she found a swimsuit, a slim-cut tank of her own design and a towel. Hanging just beside it was a crisp men’s linen shirt, the perfect cover-up. What could be more decadent than breakfast and a swim, she thought to herself. It was so thoughtful of the men to leave her the lovely things, even taking the time to find items of her own design for her. She wandered the sprawling house until she came upon the veranda where Mason had instructed her to take her breakfast. A

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small table set with comfortable, cushioned patio chairs awaited her under the wide, roofed porch. Mason had carefully adorned the nook with an extravagant spread of fresh fruit, coffee and...croissants? In Texas? With no one in sight, she dove into the offerings, thrilled for a piece of home. Shocked by her ravenous appetite, she ate everything Mason had carefully laid out for her. When she’d finished, she took in the beauty of the environment around her. The veranda opened directly into the lush gardens surrounding a swimming pool more decadent than the ones she’d seen at the best hotels in the Riviera. As she made her way towards the cool water, she examined the wildly extravagant design. Mosaics surrounding the oasis depicted classical scenes of Greek gods in fine aqua tile and were bordered with shining red marble. The fine musculature of Zeus and Hercules depicted in the tile reminded her of the previous evenings’ encounter, and she blushed as the memories instantly washed over her. She surveyed the scene, basking in the privacy the lush peach trees bordering the oasis provided. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt truly alone, far away from the chaos and intrusions of the city. Something deep inside of her suddenly relaxed, and she could almost feel the country girl inside of her ready to leap out. Once she realized how truly, gloriously, alone she was, she stripped off her borrowed shirt and swimsuit and dove head first into the cool, clear water beneath her. She was confident that with Mason gone no one would be able to see her there behind the trees, and she wasn’t going to think twice about taking advantage of the decadent solitude. ****

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The morning sun burned brightly as the Abrams brothers mounted their horses and made their way back to their house from the large barn and work stables almost a mile from the living and design quarters. Although they weren’t as involved in the original family ranching business as their two fathers had been, they still did their best to keep on top of the details, especially about the breeding and sales of their prize polo ponies and cutting horses. As they made their way back to the main house, Silas’ thoughts got the best of him. He had so much to say to his brother, but how? After years of distance between the two of them, he had been on the verge of giving up on Max just days before Audrey came into their lives. He had even been considering leaving Male Order altogether. Hadn’t that been what the move into Europe had been about, really? An escape from their problems and their past? The sound of Max’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “I…I think you’re right about holding off on Michaelovitch,” his older brother said suddenly. “I think we can stall him. I sent Mason into Dallas for the afternoon to keep him occupied. We need to focus on what’s happening here for now.” “Max, I’m so glad you’ve come around. She’s the one, isn’t she?” “Did I say that?” his older brother retorted gruffly. “Look, I know history isn’t just going to erase itself because we’ve found someone new. But can’t you let yourself just enjoy this for a moment?” “Dammit, Silas, what do you think I’m trying to do? I want time to see about this, real, unhurried time with no distractions. Besides, I’m not sure I trust Michaelovitch. The contract is ambiguously worded at best. At worst, we might be signing our lives away if we agree to his rules.” “He gives me a bad feeling, Max. There’s no doubt about it. And you know me, I like everyone.” “He’s a very powerful man, Silas. Let’s just do our research before we commit to anything. Perhaps Audrey is a sign. Until we

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start to find out more, promise me you won’t say anything to her about it,” Max said with a serious look in his eye. “Why not?” Silas couldn’t see the logic in keeping this important decision from the woman he was entirely confident would be theirs. “She might have important information on him. They must have traveled in the same social circles.” “Just promise me. This is between us for now until I can get some cold, hard facts on him. I want unbiased information, not gossip or hearsay.” As Max and Silas crested the hill at the edge of the house on their horses, they heard the unmistakable sound of someone diving into the pool just beyond the trees. They looked at each other and silently smiled, both galloping to the edge of the trees for a glimpse of their new lover enjoying her first morning at The Arches. As they approached, they took in the remarkable sight of a perfect woman, completely nude, swimming effortless laps in the pool. The conversation about business could wait. **** The coolness of the aquamarine water enclosed her naked body, a glorious shock to her system as she dove deep into the Abramses’ pristine sanctuary. As she came up for air, she realized quickly that she was no longer alone. Silas and Max sat atop two gorgeous mares at the edge of the pool, both speechless as they watched her float. “Good morning, boys! I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty to take a morning dip. Would you care to join me? You look like you deserve it. I trust you’ve been working hard.” Within moments, and without so much as a word from either man, they had both gracefully dismounted and tied up their horses. Neither Silas nor Max hesitated to strip off their dirty work clothes, completely soiled from a morning of doing whatever chores one does on a ranch. She momentarily paused to consider how two men could

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even get so dirty, but the thoughts about the rough and tumble nature of their work faded as she took in their perfect bodies. Totally stripped nude, they simultaneously hurled their mudstreaked bodies into the nearly crystal clear waters beneath them. They plunged far down into the deep pool and swam at the lowest depths together until they reached her. Audrey watched as they quickly rose to the surface around her. Max emerged first and immediately grabbed her around the waist. He planted a rough kiss on her mouth without saying a word, devouring her lips as she gasped with the surprise of his immediate intimacy with her. “Good morning,” he finally replied, releasing her from him in such a surprise it left her gasping for air. Silas was next, silently surfacing behind her. He roughly turned her body towards his, his palms momentarily feeling for her weightless, submerged hips until they were close to his. He then smoothed one hand through her hair, grasping the wet strands firmly once he’d pulled her into him. As they treaded water in the deep chill of the pool, he came nearly nose to nose with Audrey. “Mornin’, sugar,” he said with a quiet smirk as he deeply studied face. “You look like you’re a good swimmer, is that right?” “I lived on a farm with a pond until I was twelve years old. I swam almost every day as a child, even on some of the coldest days of winter,” she responded mischievously. “How ‘bout a race then? Just you and me, a little rematch from the other night,” he propositioned. “Gladly.” She grinned. Max casually watched as they made their way to the edge of the pool and emerged from the cool waters for a diving start. “You better be careful, Rousseau. I once had to swim ten miles to shore during the war,” Silas warned with a smirk. “Is that so, Mr. Abrams? Well, do your worst, and we’ll see if I can keep up.”

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“Five laps, end to end,” Silas replied, setting the parameters for their morning competition. “This isn’t just about speed. It’s about endurance.” They readied themselves for the race and took their positions. As they simultaneously plunged into the water, Audrey knew she would certainly be bested by this man. He was faster than she could possibly have imagined, effortlessly moving through the water at breakneck speeds. Still, she swam fast and hard. For several laps, she was almost keeping up to his intense pace. It was hopeless, however. She was destined to lose. She finally gave up trying and glided over to Max, who was sitting on the edge of the pool watching with an amused look on his face. Despite the fact that she had stopped competing, Silas continued to race with totally ruthless devotion. “He’s showing off for you, like some damn peacock in heat,” Max said with a quiet laugh as she pulled herself up to sit beside him. She couldn’t help but snicker at his assessment of his brother’s competitive spirit. “I like it,” she replied with a grin. “It’s so fun beating his cocky ass!” They gazed at each other for a quiet moment before Max jumped up and retrieved an enormous, plush towel for her. He wrapped her tightly in it, drying her soaked, naked body with the hot friction of his hands. Silas finally slowed his manic pace and joined them at the edge of the pool, still clearly pleased with his triumph of physical prowess over his lover. “I am very impressed, I must say,” Audrey said as he lifted himself to sit next to her, his skin glistening with fine droplets and his breath heavy with exertion. “I will be asking for a rematch later, that’s for sure.” “I’ll be glad to compete with you any time, Miss Rousseau. Tennis, horses, archery, you name it,” he said with a grin.

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“Gladly, I love it all,” she replied, happy to take any challenge he wanted to offer. “So what do I get as my reward?” Silas asked slyly. “Perhaps we should show her the shower,” Max responded before Audrey could muster a response. “Great idea,” Silas said as he stood and lifted Audrey into his arms in one swift movement. Her towel immediately fell by the wayside, and she was soaked once again by Silas’ dripping body. She almost cringed at her secret enjoyment of this behavior by both brothers. She playfully wriggled in Silas’ arms. “Put me down, for Christ’s sakes! I am perfectly capable of walking on my own two feet. Or did you think you exhausted me so thoroughly that I wouldn’t be able to make it there on my own?” “You know I’ll do no such thing, my dear. But I like the attitude, even if it means you’re overdue for a spanking once we get you cleaned up.” Hidden behind the red marble walls on the far side of the pool stood an elaborate outdoor shower. Walls covered in camouflaging ivy vines made the luxurious space almost impossible to see from the outside. Silas brought her into the private bathing room, and Audrey’s eyes widened as she saw three giant faucets made of pure copper affixed to the walls. A large cutout in the far wall afforded a gorgeous view of the Abramses’ land surrounding The Arches, stretching as far as the eye could see. Max turned on all three faucets, each of them shooting a forceful stream of hot water onto each of their bodies. It felt so good after the cold water of the pool, Audrey heard herself moan before either man had managed to lay a hand on her. “Does that feel nice, baby? You like starting your day with us?” Silas asked as he crossed to her with a bar of soap in his hand. Audrey nodded silently, her eyes widening as she considered what he planned for her. “So, for that reward I was talking about. How about I get the first chance to scrub you down? What do you think? I

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can’t wait to soap up this perfect body.” As he spoke, Silas playfully ran his index finger between her breasts and all the way to her belly button. Taking the bar into his hand, he worked it into a thick lather and stepped in towards her. He gently lifted her arms above her head, letting his hands wander her skin from the tips of her fingers all the way down her shoulders. As Silas moved down to her breasts, Max stepped in behind them underneath the fast spray of water beating down all over Audrey’s body. “Have you reaped your reward fully, Silas? Am I allowed to join the fun yet?” The older Abrams was clearly tortured by having to wait his turn, his cock standing at full attention as he watched the show. “I suppose she needs someone to wash her back,” Silas replied in a teasingly begrudging tone. “I think I can handle that,” Max said as he lathered his hands with a second creamy white bar of his own. He immediately began to massage her neck and back, his fingers wandering down her waist to the smooth curve of her hips, a trail of lather following behind every touch to her body. Sandwiched between the two men carefully cleansing her from head to toe, the pleasure of them simultaneously exploring every part of her was almost too much to take. A deep moan escaped her throat as Silas dipped his hand over her pussy, his thumb exploring her clit as two of his fingers slipped deep inside of her. The rhythm of his movements immediately sent her into a trance, her hips flexing to accommodate the pace he set for her pleasure. As Silas worked her into a frenzy, Max lavished her ass with attention. The suds and hot water poured over her backside as he ran his finger down the private crevice, causing an overwhelming chill to run up her spine. She felt her face flush a deep pink as he leaned in and kissed her neck.

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“Have you have been touched here before?” he whispered in Audrey’s ear as he traced her virgin hole. “Nuh huh,” she murmured as she shook her head no. “I’m going to take you here, darlin’. I promise you, you’re going to love it. Can you trust me?” Her head was swimming with pleasure as she watched him take a bottle from the shelf and pour some liquid into his hand. What was he planning on doing? She couldn’t believe how much his actions were turning her on, her heart already racing as Silas continued exploring her cunt with his intense, unforgiving pace. The pleasure built wildly inside her as Max tenderly pushed her legs farther apart and slowly pressed his dripping index finger inside her. The heat of his finger in her puckered hole burned with an unfamiliar fire, quickly erupting into a kind of pleasure she had never experienced. As the pulse of Max’s fingers slowly gained in momentum in and out of her ass, Silas kneeled on the tile floor of the enormous shower, water rushing over his face and glistening muscles. Without a moment’s hesitation, his tongue delved into her pussy at a maniacal pace. She almost fainted with the waves of pleasure breaking over her, her body seemingly no longer her own. She heard herself scream, but her voice seemed foreign and wild. “Come for us, baby. You are so fucking beautiful, I can’t stand it,” Max whispered in her ear as she leaned against him, writhing in the decadence of the moment. With the simple vibration of his words in her ear, she felt the orgasm rush through every part of her, nearly blinding her with its force. Max held the full force of her weight as her body gave in to the sensations consuming her. As the reverberations echoed through her, everything around her seemed to heighten the intensity of the moment. From the cool midmorning breeze to the hot droplets playing across her skin, all of it

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seemed to synchronize into an orchestra of marvels. She closed her eyes and took in the exquisite moment, thrilled to share it with her two men. Her two men. The thought excited and terrified her, the sound of the words playing on repeat in her brain. **** “Audrey, are you all right?” Silas asked as he stood to look her in the eye. She looked on the verge of fainting, completely delirious with the aftershocks of her intense orgasm. “Mmm,” she replied with a smile as she melted into his arms. “Let’s get her inside,” Max insisted. He silently nodded as Max turned off the spray and tossed him a towel. He rubbed Audrey’s soaked body from head to toe, drying every curve with tender attention. After he examined every part of her for remaining droplets, he effortlessly lifted her into his arms, her limp body still nearly weightless despite her fatigue. She nuzzled her head into his neck, murmuring something about how she planned to bottle his unique scent. Of course, Silas thought to himself. Only Audrey would be thinking about business, even in a half delirious state. He laughed aloud at the thought. As he carried her onto the veranda and back inside the house, he and Max exchanged glances and smiles with one another. Despite Max’s initial hesitance, Silas was thrilled to witness the rapturous look on his brother’s face. He knew that look. He’d seen it once before long ago. He never thought he would see it again, but there it was. Max was in love with Audrey, just like he was. Once inside the bedroom, Silas carried her to bed. He gently lay her diagonally across the massive bed and slowly drew her tightly wrapped towel apart with care, as if he were removing a bandage. Her eyes fluttered open as Max entered the room, a plate of fruit in his hand for her.

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“Did I just fall asleep?” she asked as she sat up on one elbow, her voice slightly groggy. “Only for a moment, darlin’,” Max responded as he lay down on the bed, silently offering her a strawberry. “That was really intense out there,” Audrey replied, hungrily sampling the variety on the plate. Inspired by their lover’s newfound energy, Silas stood up and put a soft jazz record on the phonograph. Audrey smiled as the soulful sounds of a quiet ballad filled the room. “I love this American music. It is too beautiful! There is nothing like this in France, or Europe at all for that matter.” “C’mere and dance with me, baby,” Silas said as he beckoned her to him. She immediately obeyed, and they began to dance slowly, both still naked from their previous outdoor escapades. The early afternoon light streamed through the numerous windows in the room, and Silas tipped his head back, enjoying the sensation of their bare feet softly padding together on the rug. She gracefully swayed with him in perfect synchronicity, and the soft feel of her creamy, pristine skin against him immediately stiffened his cock to attention. Audrey’s lips slipped into a subtle smirk as his dick refused to be ignored. “You must enjoy dancing with me, no?” “I’m not sure how long I can take this,” he growled in response, immediately bending down to erase the sly grin on her face with a rough kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she returned his feverish, demanding embrace with equal fervor. Lost in the rhythm of their mouths moving together, Silas let his tongue wander and taste every surface of her elegant neck and shoulders. He was quickly learning the tiny things that made her quietly moan in his ear, the unique sound she made when he gently grasped a handful of her thick hair between his fingers. He let his hands slip down her spine to the perfect curve of her ass. As he cupped both hands beneath the perfectly round cheeks, she jumped up and coiled her legs around his hips. Tightly clinging to

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him, the soft touch of her pussy against his pulsing cock almost made him come right then and there. Max, this whole time silent, watched intently from their bed. “Silas, do you know what I want most?” Audrey asked as she pulled away from his mouth, leaving him gasping for air. “What is it, baby? You know we’ll give you anything.” “I want you both. At once. Is this…possible?” Audrey smiled as she made the request, a daring, bold look spreading slowly across her face. He loved this woman’s sense of humor, playfully innocent yet devilishly brazen. He carried her to the bed, only nodding and laughing mischievously in response to her question. He wasn’t sure if he could muster any words to tell her what he and Max were going to do to her, the amount of pleasure they could simultaneously experience. “Not today, but soon,” he finally responded as he looked from her gaze to the smirk on his brother’s face. “Very soon.” **** Be bold, Audrey. She was bound and determined to keep up with these men, and their appetites, no matter how much it terrified her. She rolled over on top of Silas as Max moved towards them. He kneeled behind her as she straddled Silas, immediately grabbing her around the hips as Silas lay back and enjoyed the view above him. “Your wish will always be our command, Miss Rousseau,” Max whispered in her ear as he ran his hands down the curve of her spine. “You have no idea what it can be like. I can’t wait to show you.” The sensation of his breath in her ear made her whole body pulse with arousal. She loved how safe she felt, sandwiched between the two men she was beginning to trust in a way she had never previously experienced before. She looked down at Silas beneath her, and the look of hunger in his eyes overwhelmed her.

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She bent over to kiss him, the need to feel his mouth on hers overtaking everything else. As she did, Max slid his fingers down the crevice of her ass and over her moistened clit. After toying with the already swollen bud, he reached for a tin of lubrication next to the bed and let several fingers travel backwards into her puckered rear hole. The simultaneous sensation of Silas’ kiss and Max’s skillful rhythm entranced and relaxed Audrey. Silas pushed himself beneath her, roughly taking her pert nipple into his mouth and rolling the hardened bud around his tongue and the hard edges of his teeth. The nervousness over this new experience was quickly fading into sheer excitement. Silas coyly reached down to her pussy as he continued to torture her breasts with his unremitting licking, sucking and playful nips. His immense erection had turned a deep demanding red, the head glistening with a droplet of his seed. She relished in this moment, the two of them surrounding her with their hunger and longing to be with her and her alone. She laughed out loud at the sheer amazement she felt in that instant. She would have never imagined she’d have an insatiable hunger for these two men so different yet so similar to her. “What are you laughing about, baby?” Silas asked, his face inquisitive. “It’s just all too much, in the best of ways. I feel like a totally different woman than the one that left Dallas yesterday.” Max gently tugged on her shoulders, pulling her up towards him as he turned her face to look deep in his eyes. “You’re incredible,” he said gruffly as his mouth roughly consumed hers. She loved the ruthless passion of this man and felt him opening to her more and more every moment they were together. Whatever had hurt him in the past still weighed on him, but he was with her in that moment entirely. “We have to have you, Audrey,” Silas said, his eyes an icy azure. With his ravenous stare, he inched her hips above his and gently pushed his rock hard cock inside her. The tight fit of him inside her

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felt so right, and she felt herself blush as her pussy literally dripped with pleasure as he began to slowly bounce her up and down on his lap. “I can’t wait to take you here,” Max growled in her ear as she felt him pull her ass cheeks firmly apart. Silas thumbed her clit as Max carefully pressed one and then two fingers inside her. The moment both sensations washed over Audrey, she closed her eyes and leaned back into Max’s firm chest, letting the rhythm of his fingers slowly take over every thought crowding her mind. The exquisite mixture of pleasure and pain washed over her as the pace of her two lovers increased with every passing moment. Max held her firmly against him, wrapping one hand around her breast and thumbing her stiff, aching nipple in his rough fingers. “I can’t take it, it’s just too much,” she heard herself say as her orgasm threatened to take hold of her. Both men groaned with pleasure as the impending spasms from deep within her caused Audrey to tighten around both Silas’ cock and Max’s exploring digits simultaneously. She leaned against Max’s strong body as the men continued to thrust inside her with a ferocious pace. “Give it to us, darlin’,” Max roughly said in her ear as he held her firmly against him. “Come with me, baby,” Silas added, his features constricting as she felt him approach the edge of his own orgasm. The two of them working in and out of her at a matching, blistering pace was simply too much to take, and the sounds erupting from deep in her chest sounded foreign and primitive. The wild sensation was too much, more than she had ever imagined she could experience. The orgasm fizzled up from the deepest depths of her, higher and higher until she reached an immense plateau, the moment of the purest pleasure she could imagine possible. The sensation raced through her body as both men pushed her towards the wild culmination of this surreal, unmatched experience.

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Silas groaned as his final, powerful thrust brought him over the edge of his own climax. Max untangled his fingers from her backside as she fell forward onto the gasping lover beneath her and kissed him with all the fervor burning inside of her. As they all fell together in a wild mess in the luxurious bed, she felt Max’s burning erection scrape against her tender, quivering ass. “Please,” she heard herself murmur to the hungry man behind her as she took a momentary breath between consuming kisses. Max silently obeyed her delirious request, parting her quivering pussy lips and carefully embedding himself inside her. She was amazed by his ability to intuit her needs so immediately, taking care of her highly sensitized cunt by setting the perfect tender rhythm she so needed in the moment. She continued to weave her tongue around Silas’ as Max leaned against her back and take all that he needed from her body. She smiled as she realized the record on the phonograph had skipped to its end, the slight clicking of the machine matching the rhythm of their quiet moans. The blissful seconds ticked by as Max’s careful thrusts inside her reached their apex. She felt his body erupt in one final wave of pleasure, their now slick and entangled bodies completing this complex dance for three. Max kissed the tender triangle between her shoulder blades and disentangled himself from her depths. He came down onto the bed and pulled her closer to him, her body carefully sandwiched between these two perfect men. Each man cradled her gently as she looked from one to the other in disbelief of the untamed pleasure she had just experienced. She took a deep breath, her body and mind remarkably energized by the incredible delights of the afternoon. “Are you two finally ready to talk business?” she coyly remarked as she sat up and grinned. Both of them laughed simultaneously.

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“Always,” Max replied playfully. “How about we make this a dinner meeting? Mason’s gone for the evening, but I’m sure we could rustle something up for the three of us.” She could watch the wheels turning in Silas’ head as he said this, but she couldn’t believe it to be the truth. “You two? Cooking? I thought the kitchen was merely a showroom,” she replied. Max’s mouth went agape, clearly ready to prove her wrong. “Audrey Rousseau, are you aware that we raise the finest cattle in Texas?” “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Everything you two touch seems to turn to gold,” Audrey said as she stood up. “Does that mean you actually know how to cook one, though?” She couldn’t remember if she’d ever felt so alive, playfully debating with these two gorgeous naked men. Their eyes followed her naked form as she stretched her body against the foot of the bed. “I don’t care if a man is a millionaire with a thousand servants tracking his every move. If he can’t cook a steak, he ain’t worth a damn,” Max said as he rose to tower above her. “Now come on and let us show you how a business meeting is done.” **** As another night closed in on The Arches, the eerie silence Silas had come to so desperately abhor seemed to miraculously lift for the first time in ages. Audrey’s laughter rang through the kitchen as she sat in his silk smoking jacket and watched him and his brother create a feast for three. They shared anecdotes about their childhoods and both men told romantic stories about the Wild West and their heroic ancestors. She listened, riveted, and followed them into the dining room as they balanced a wild variety of plates in their arms.

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“We grew up on this food, and our family’s been cooking this way since the very beginning of Male Order,” Max explained as they sat around the table. “Our fathers were much more involved in the ranching end of our business, and they worked damn hard every day. Even though we always had Mason looking after the house, Momma cooked like this all the time. She even raised a garden and canned vegetables, just like our ancestors did,” Silas continued. He couldn’t remember the last time he and his brother had talked about their childhood, but he knew it felt damn good to open up to someone like this. “So you really had two fathers? Everyone in Male Order really lives like this?” Audrey asked, taking a big gulp of wine while clearly trying to piece together the unusual ways they had always known. “We really do. And I think you’ll find once you get to know the other families that it works remarkably well. We don’t always get along with everyone here, but the way we live is precious to us. There is so much more love, and our women are taken care of the way they should be,” Max replied, a hint of pride audible in his voice. She paused for a moment and then replied to his explanation with a grin. “I have to admit,” she said slowly, “I find it all fascinating. I never expected to uncover the heart of American fashion in a place…such as this.” Silas thought about it for a long moment and then found the best explanation he could. “It’s the perfect place for it. Our people came here to find the ultimate freedom. Our grandfathers started this town because they loved being close to the land and they didn’t want anyone telling them how or why to live their lives. Maybe they weren’t striving to live the life of an artist, but isn’t that exactly the same intent?” She nodded, listening attentively. She didn’t say a word, but her eyes told him to continue.

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He cleared his throat and looked at Max, afraid of making a misstep and uncovering something he shouldn’t. “And that’s why we want to bring it to Europe. We are in…discussions…about it, but we have an ambitious plan to open a global network of our stores, starting with Paris by 1929.” Max looked like he wanted to punch him in the face. Yes, he was revealing a lot. But who better to turn to for advice on the matter? “It’s an interesting idea,” she finally said after they sat for several moments in silence. She seemed to turn the thoughts over in her head, taking a moment to savor the clearly unfamiliar southern flavors on her plate. “May I respectfully disagree with your business plan?” she finally concluded. Max looked first to Silas and then to Audrey as she paused, awaiting their instruction. “Why?” his big brother inquired, clearly trying to maintain his temper. If you say anything about women not knowing anything about business, I swear… “I don’t think you want to know my answer,” she retorted, the challenge to Max officially issued. “Of course he does,” Silas butted in, attempting to shift the sudden weight in the room. “Europe is not safe for business, and it is certainly not safe for the likes of me and you. War and fashion do not mix, mes chers amis. It will all fall apart again, this time worse than before. But here, in these wild lands, everything will stay safe. I truly believe that this century will be ruled by the Americans, for precisely the reasons you’ve already so eloquently described, Silas.” The Abramses looked at one another, silent. She was speaking a lot of sense, and Silas couldn’t help but fall immediately into her train of thought.

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“Forget about the old guard, gentlemen. You have an empire to build and it’s right under your noses, waiting for you. Imagine this—a store in every state. In every city. Every American, big and small, coming to you for all their needs. “It begins with menswear, it’s true. The luxurious experience of shopping at Jaqueline’s cannot be for women alone. I am talking about building an empire here, gentlemen, a new store for a new age. And what could be more American than that?” **** They lingered for hours over the meal, the conversation continuing to flow as Silas poured glass after glass of wine into all of their tumblers. They scribbled down a vast array of ideas and imagined a wild variety of business ventures. Max had never met anyone as brilliant as this, man or woman. He couldn’t believe that the object of his freshly awakened desires could incite such powerful ideas in him as well. He felt confident they could debate anything for an eternity, and the thoughts she unlocked in him thrilled him to the core. “What time is it?” she finally asked as they polished off a third bottle. Her eyes drooped with fatigue. They had clearly exhausted her. “Too late for this nonsense,” Max quickly replied, rapidly standing and moving to where she sat at the table. “We have too much to do tomorrow to be indulging like this,” Silas added as they recalled the plans they had hastily laid for the next day. “You have a plan for me?” she muttered as Max lifted her into his arms. “Sleep well, baby,” he murmured in her ear. “We have wonderful things in store for you in the morning, so get your rest.”

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She was fast asleep before he could even lay her down on the bed, the depths of her secret, unconscious world unwilling to relinquish her for even a moment more of the day.

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Chapter Nine Audrey slowly awoke as she became aware that she was no longer in the safe comfort of Max and Silas’ bed. She opened her eyes to find herself wrapped in Max’s arms, crossing the threshold into what she could only gather in her half awake state was his dressing room. She fully regained consciousness after he set her down on one of the multiple leather chaise lounges arranged in the center of the room. It was before dawn, and the only light in the room came from a dim table lamp. “Put this on, darling,” he murmured as he pulled a cashmere sweater over her head. The incredibly soft fabric immediately enveloped her, and she could already tell the garment would reach to her knees. “Why am I doing this, again?” Despite her sleepy confusion, she immediately felt turned on by the sensation of his sweater on her naked body. She wanted to spend a lazy morning with Max and Silas, continuing to exist for eternity in this perfect suspended reality. She imagined breakfast in bed and maybe a swim in the afternoon… He interrupted her thoughts. “We’re taking you somewhere, and I want you to be comfortable. I should have brought home more things from the store. Will this do?” “That depends on where you’re taking me, mon cher,” Audrey replied, halfheartedly resisting when he once again lifted her into his arms. As they approached the front door of the living quarters, she knew she was in trouble. Idling by the front door was a pristine gold Mercedes. Silas, decked out in his driving costume, sat in the front

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seat. He jumped out and grinned as he opened the passenger door of his car for them. As the chill of the early morning air hit her abruptly, she suddenly became acutely aware of what was happening. She was being kidnapped. Inside the luxurious convertible, the combination of the plush comfort of the leather and the brothers’ bodies close to hers threatened to lull her into a complacency she refused to accept. She liked the idea of putting up a struggle, especially if they thought they could just throw her in the car without telling her a damn thing about where they were headed. Now fully awake, she looked at the men as Silas pulled down the driveway. “Where are we going?” As The Arches disappeared behind them and they gathered speed, she could see the thrill in Silas’ eyes as they barreled down the road. “I hope you like surprises, Audrey,” ignoring her question as he placed one hand on her bare thigh and traced the edge of the sweater against her skin. Just the mere brush of his fingers against her bare flesh drove her wild, and it took all of her control to sit still. Max joined his brother in this new game, the back of his left hand wandering the length of chest and torso. “You look much better in this than I do,” he murmured as his lips brushed her right earlobe. She was almost ready to give into their mischievous ways, but she attempted once more to play the role of innocent kidnapee with all her might. “Where are you taking me? I have a right to know, don’t I?” she exclaimed with a playful pout. “It’s a secret, sugar,” Silas replied, grinning that naughty grin that drove her insane. “Couldn’t we eat some breakfast first?” Normally an early morning surprise trip would be just her kind of thrill. Today, however,

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she felt both ravenous and exhausted from the previous evening’s wild adventure. “We’re almost there, baby,” Silas assured her with a smirk. As usual, Silas was anything but cautious. They were flying down the never-ending twists and turns of their private road at a speed she could barely comprehend at this hour of the morning. Silas suddenly made a sharp right turn onto a narrow dirt road Audrey somehow hadn’t noticed on her initial ride to the compound. Was that just two days ago? Audrey breathed in the fresh morning air and tried her damndest to let go of every thought and take in the glorious feeling of the unknown, with these two wonderful men leading her deep into the void. The sun was cresting over the horizon, and Max wrapped his leather jacket around her for warmth, silently assuring her with the warmth of his deep, chestnut eyes. Silas slowed at a bend in the road, and as they came around the corner, Audrey looked from one to the other, attempting to figure out what she was seeing. It just looked like a massive shed and a long, well-kept dirt road. “For the final leg of this journey, you will be blindfolded, Miss Rousseau. My sincerest apologies for the inconvenience,” Max said teasingly. Before Audrey knew what was happening, the world had gone black around her, her sight replaced with the sensation of a silk handkerchief being tied firmly over her eyes. Once the car had stopped she heard doors slamming and immediately felt herself being lifted from the car. Taken once again into another set of arms, she quickly recognized Silas’ scent as she struggled against his firm grip around her body. “Is this an American thing? Why won’t you two ever allow a woman to walk on her own two legs?” “Because I want you close to me all the time, Audrey,” Silas whispered into her ear. Her whole body trembled at the sensation of

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his hot breath in her ear combined with being so closely cradled in his arms. She heard the sound of the giant shed doors opening and immediately smelled gasoline. “Did you get a new car? Is this a second garage?” she guessed. “Warm,” Max answered and laughed as Silas passed her to his older brother. She immediately relied on her excellent nose as she took in Max’s signature hazelnut scent and put her head on his shoulder. “This is going to be a bit tricky, darlin’, but I promise it’s worth it. Hang on tight, ok?” As he vaguely warned her of some sort of danger, she felt herself being lifted upwards, her arms quickly grasping onto his shoulders and her legs wrapping around his muscular backside. He seemed to mold her onto the back of his body, and she held on for dear life. She was completely disoriented, desperately trying to maintain her cool despite her complete lack of control. “This would be far less difficult if you two would just let me in on the big secret already.” As she desperately clung to Max, she felt their entangled bodies climbing upwards off the ground. Were they going up a flight of stairs? Was he hanging from a ladder? She couldn’t be sure, but she was confident whatever was happening was probably dangerous. She felt suspended high above the ground and continued clinging to Max to reduce the disorientation flooding her senses. Suddenly they stopped ascending, and he gently placed her down onto some sort of seat. Although it felt better to sit down on something firm, she immediately reached out for Max’s touch, anxious to know he was near her. He quickly responded by placing his hand in hers, and she breathed a sigh of relief with the touch of his reassuring fingers. “Would you like to see it now?” she heard Silas say from below her. “What do you think?” she replied sassily.

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Without saying a word, Max removed her blindfold. She looked around and took in the surreal moment. She was sitting in the cockpit of an airplane. And it wasn’t just any plane, but one unlike she’d ever seen before. She took it all in, admiring the incredibly sleek design of the space she was now inhabiting. The interior was all shiny mahogany and creamy leather, the long bench seat in the front more like the Mercedes she had ridden in than any plane she could have possibly imagined. “What do you think?” Max fired back at her. Silas had joined them, grinning like a proud schoolboy about his little surprise. She was speechless. “This…is yours?” “It was my birthday present to myself,” Silas answered. “I missed flying so much since I came back to Male Order from the war, and the technology is growing with leaps and bounds all the time. I met with the best guy in the business and designed this baby just for us. It’s safe now. Well, almost safe,” he added with a grin. “Would you like to fly, Audrey?” She passed her hands over the seemingly endless controls, levers and knobs, the gleaming metal a stark but beautiful contrast against the luxurious interior. She looked up at Silas after taking it all in. “Yes. It’s a dream come true. I can’t believe this is yours.” She looked again at Silas, then Max, fascinated by the secrets and surprises they always had hiding up their sleeves. “I’m planning on breaking the world record for distance, and I’m even thinking about trying to start up a commercial industry,” Silas murmured, almost to himself. He looked at her thoughtfully, the passion for the projects showing on his face. “This is the future, baby. This machine can hold up to five passengers, she has three engines and her fuselage and wings were constructed out of aluminum alloy. They’re even corrugated for added strength. She’s the fastest and safest airplane in the world. I spared no expense to have every luxury, as you might be able to tell.”

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“I don’t doubt it,” Audrey replied. His eyes glowed with happiness, and he reached out to her, one hand running absentmindedly through her hair. “Let’s prepare for takeoff,” Max proclaimed with excitement, jumping down from the body of the plane with incredibly agility. Silas kissed her roughly on the mouth and then began turning dials and flipping switches with the speed and skill of a professional. The plane immediately came to life, each engine humming and churning as Max opened the massive doors of the hangar. “You ready for an adventure?” Silas said, the familiar flash of mischief in his eyes. “Do your worst, Mr. Abrams,” she retorted with a grin. Max swiftly leaped back into the cockpit as they crossed over the threshold of the massive hangar doors. They slowly rolled down the runway, gaining speed as Max checked all the dials and Silas carefully pulled up on the throttle. The sensation caused Audrey’s heart to race as they lifted farther and farther off the ground. Sandwiched between the two men in the long leather front seat, the thrill of the moment caused her head to swim with excitement as they continued to ascend far above the land. Once the plane had steadied, Max and Silas took turns pointing out the landmarks of Male Order to her. They dipped low enough in the sky so she could discern the buildings of the quaint town center. Bending into her so she could hear him over the loud vibrations of the engines, Max described his own designs for the town the Abrams family had called home for three generations. “I want this town to thrive, to stay a close-knit community like we’ve always been. But I also want for us to have all the modern conveniences of the twentieth century. Look there! You can see one of my newest buildings, the Abrams Theater. It can seat five-hundred people and has room for a full orchestra to play beneath the screen. You can have a meal at the restaurant, see a ballet before the show or

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play a round of billiards in the upstairs rooms. It’s opening to the public next month after nearly two years of construction.” She loved to see Max like this, so engaged, so alive and open. “Hold onto the wheel for a bit,” Silas instructed as he sidled through the sliver of space near the window and made his way towards the rear of the plane, leaving Audrey in charge of the enormous vehicle. “Silas! What do I do?” she asked, incredulous he would leave her in charge of this massive machine without even a simple set of instructions. “Just feel the vibration of the engine in your fingertips and keep her steady. She’s yours, now. Take care of her.” She looked at Max with uncertainty as she took control of the plane. “You can do it, Audrey,” he reassured her, his hand resting gently on her thigh. “So where should we go?” she asked Max. Once she’d taken a moment to breathe and steady herself, she began to get the hang of it. “Anywhere you’d like, baby,” he replied quietly. She heard a loud pop in the back of the plane, and her heart almost stopped. “Silas? Are you all right?” “Of course,” he exclaimed as he rejoined them, carefully balancing three glasses of champagne and a plate of oysters in his hand. “Breakfast, my dear?” he asked as he smoothly set the items down on a metal tray he’d miraculously folded up from beneath their seat. “I’ll take the reins for a moment, but from there on out, I expect you to be in charge.” Her stomach growled as she tasted the delicacies Silas had brought for their celebration in the sky.

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“This is the most unusual picnic I’ve ever attended, that’s for sure! My goodness, is this what I think it is?” she asked as the divine bubbles passed her lips. “Dom Pérignon 1921, just for you, my dear. I ordered five cases when I got in on the first private U.S. shipment. I know it’s still too young, but I couldn’t help myself. Still…isn’t it divine? It’s going to be a sensation.” She closed her eyes, taking in the tender notes of vanilla and praline. It was like tasting home. “It’s perfect. This is the way every day should begin, I think.” **** She looked at him silently, her eyes aglow with the connection they shared. He knew he had struck a chord with her, but he was shocked when she kissed him ravenously with thanks, the taste of the silky flavors on her mouth immediately making Silas’ cock burn with need. He struggled to keep his hand steady on the throttle as their lips encircled each others’ hungrily. “I want you. I want you both,” she said, her eyes wide with lust. The plane momentarily bobbed up in the air as he explored her mouth with his tongue and felt himself losing control of his senses. The memory of tasting her in the shower the day before made him famished for more of her unique, sweet honey flavor. “Take over for me, big brother?” Silas asked as he placed his hand over hers, steadying his wheel in one smooth motion. “She may be a bit too distracted to start piloting this baby again.” “Only if you promise to share,” Max retorted as he took the copilot wheel and switched over the controls. He clearly didn’t want to miss any of the action. “You got it.” Their eyes met, and Silas did everything to reassure his brother that he wasn’t taking over. For the first moment in as long

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as he could remember, the silent connection they shared before Jackie’s accident seemed to return to them. Max slid towards them in the long front seat of the plane and took the throttle in his hand. As he carefully controlled their speed and adjusted their elevation, Audrey leaned over to his brother and kissed him tenderly, offering him further reassurance that he wouldn’t be forgotten in the fun. Silas swung one of her legs over his lap, caressing the soft fabric of oversized sweater she donned as he firmly pulled her hips closer to his. His hands stroked her cool thighs, his palms caressing the miraculously smooth flesh. Her skin was almost iridescent, he realized. “My god, Audrey, your skin. It’s like the inside of a shell,” he whispered in her ear as she leaned into his touch. Silas reached his hands beneath the loose sweater towards her waist and gently lifted her only covering above her head, immediately revealing her gorgeous, nude body. “I love your style,” he said with a laugh as he took in the sight of her. “Are you cold? Let me warm you up.” He let his hands wander over every exposed part as she leaned into his touch. He leaned forward and took each rounded breast in his mouth, the taste of her throbbing nipples making his cock hard with need. “Thank you, Mr. Abrams,” she retorted playfully, softly moaning as his fingers finally dipped down towards her cunt. “God, I can’t wait to taste you again,” he told her as he ran one finger over her clit. She was already dripping with arousal, and the sight made him want to explode right on the spot. Most of all, he dreamed of pressing his face into her thighs and hungered to taste the damp, soft delicacy of her clit. “When I get you back on solid ground, I’m going to eat this pussy for hours until you beg me to stop.” As he told her of his looming desire, he thrust his fingers deep inside of her and then immediately removed them. He stuck his finger in his mouth and tasted her honey,

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ravenous for more but loving the act of torturing her with his promises. “What do you want right now, baby?” he asked as his fingers continued to work up and down her soft flesh in rhythmic motions. Her quiet moans had escalated to near screams of pleasure, her fantastic sounds finally winning over the drone of the machine that enclosed them and kept them from tumbling back to earth. “Tell me what you want,” Silas repeated forcefully, his fingers torturing her with the promise of release. “I want to fuck you,” she said, her eyes locking with his as she retook control of her body. “I want to fuck you right here until you explode.” “Until I explode?” he asked, teasing her. “Until we both explode,” she replied, grinning. “That’s my girl,” Silas replied, his cock burning to be embedded deep within her. She immediately unbuckled his slacks and reached inside his undergarments for what she clearly knew was hers for the taking. “I’ve never soared like this before,” he couldn’t help but add as he pulled her into him and kissed her hungrily. He gripped his aching cock and pulled her down on top of him, the perfect fit almost causing him to lose it right then and there. He took a deep breath, and she began to glide up and down on him, gently at first but quickly gaining a careful momentum. The buzz of the massive machine beneath them only added to their pleasure, and they held on tightly to one another as Max seemed to purposefully guide them through extra lows and highs. “Watch it, brother,” Silas warned as they dipped dangerously close to the ground at one point. They were thrown for a moment, almost losing their balance, and it reminded him of how damn great it was to be alive. His heart raced in his chest, the sensations closing in wildly around him.

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“I got you two covered, don’t you know that?” Max retorted, confident as ever. Audrey merely held on tighter, the two of them seeming for several minutes to truly meld into one another. Both wanting to hold onto the experience for as long as possible, it seemed they almost stopped moving entirely. The gentle turns of the airplane and the vibrations radiating through their joined bodies alone was enough to send them over this unique plateau of experience. As they tumbled together through their simultaneous climax, they locked lips and groaned into each others’ mouths with pleasure. His limbs felt weak, and their breaths came in short staccato bursts as they tried to recover from the wild ride they had just experienced. **** The sight of everything happening in front of him pushed Max towards the edge of arousal, despite his role thus far that morning as merely a voyeur. “Keep that hand steady on the throttle, brother,” Silas teased as Max struggled to keep the machine level. He was distracted, and he hungered so desperately for Audrey he was no longer thinking straight. Max groaned as he locked eyes with his lover, his whole body pulsing with need for her. “I’m not sure I can wait much longer…” “Do you need some assistance, copilot?” Audrey inquired with a grin as she slid close to Max, the curves of her still naked body barely caressing the edges of his thighs and torso. The moment she looked into his eyes, he took her palm in his and ran it over the hard length clearly visible underneath his trousers. She moaned and then called over her shoulder, “I think you better take over for him, Silas, before they find us crashed in the middle of

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some farmer’s field,” teasing as she deftly unfastened Max’s constricted fly. “Aye, aye.” His brother immediately obeyed, taking over the dual control system with a satisfied grin. Max took a deep breath, relieved the responsibilities of manning the massive machine had been lifted from him and he could now focus on the pleasure he desperately craved. “Come sit on my lap, darlin’,” he instructed as he pulled her tiny frame onto him. “And put that sweater back on. It’s damn sexy on you.” She immediately obliged, reaching across his thighs to retrieve the garment. He helped her stretch it over her head, pulling her arms through it but making sure to leave her bare ass exposed against his aching bulge. He held her firmly around her middle, his hands quickly gliding north over her porcelain skin until he reached the perfect globes of her breasts. Beneath the cashmere, he took the firm handfuls with one and then both palms, tugging gentle on the stiff peaks he hungered to devour. She moaned as he did this, and immediately responded by reaching down behind her and pushing both hands into the waistband of his pants. He worked with her to free his torso from the constricting garments, tugging and pulling until they finally dropped to his ankles. Despite the luxuriously appointed interior of the plane and the plush leather beneath them, he longed to take her properly in the comfort of their bed. Their bed. It rang in his ears. And he loved the sound of it. She groaned as his fully engorged cock finally emerged from beneath the layers of fabric. As he pushed his way inside of her, he kissed the nape of her neck and leaned to whisper into her ear. “I can’t wait to get you back to our bed,” he murmured as he firmly pressed all the way into her. “I have to take you all the way, darlin’.”

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She groaned as he barely tossed her hips up and down with his careful thrusts. He couldn’t let himself fall over the edge this fast, but the images of what he planned to do to her proved too much. He ground into her, gripping her tightly against his manic thrusts. She arched against him in response, her writhing body signaling the approach of her own impending climax. He gave himself over to the release as he felt the tight spasms of her cunt close in around him. She leaned against him, turning her face to steal that most tender kiss of satisfaction. After he took a long breath, he looked around, momentarily having lost the wild reality of their surroundings. “Enjoying the view up here, Silas?” Max joked as he watched his brother steal a glimpse of their lover still collapsed against him, her body still radiating with pleasure. It felt good to play like this, to take the wild risks they used to enjoy together. He couldn’t remember the last time he had really laughed, really felt pleasure. His muscles had actually begun to relax, and he felt more at ease than he’d felt in years. “It feels good to soar, doesn’t it?” his brother replied. “Sure does,” Max said as he continued cradling their wild lover in his arms. “Let’s get this thing back to the hangar and get you in bed,” Max said as her quiet groans slowly subsided. “I agree. We need to get her home immediately,” Silas said as he steered them towards a landing. Audrey merely grinned, her face telling the two of them everything they needed to know.

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Chapter Ten As they drove home in the warmth of the mid-day sun, all three of them sat in blissful quiet. The men took turns stroking her thighs, occasionally locking eyes with her as the car twisted its way back to the house. The moment they’d closed the front doors behind them, she knew there was no turning back. Within seconds, the men had their mouths on hers, adroitly passing her between them as they stumbled into the kitchen and pressed her against the countertop. The effects of their kisses rippled through her, her head dizzy with each of their tastes. Silas pushed his weight against hers as he grabbed her from behind and effortlessly lifted her up onto the slick, elevated surface. Without thought, her legs instantly wrapped around him as he continued exploring the depths of her mouth. He savagely ran his hands down the length of her torso, his palms pausing momentarily to sample what she hid beneath her sweater. Silas dipped below to kiss her bare thighs, the hum of his hungry murmurs causing vibrations to radiate through her core. In the same moment, she locked eyes with Max, watching her hungrily from several feet away. “C’mere,” she entreated, her voice barely escaping her mouth. He immediately obeyed, standing over her as his calloused hand traced the smooth skin of her cheek. The feeling of his rough fingers against her face aroused her just much as the light kisses she simultaneously felt dotting the intimate flesh closest to her cunt. Max silently ran his index finger over her wet lips, the tip of it tracing the tender outline as he looked her deep in the eyes. She

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momentarily stuck out her tongue and flicked it over the salty, rough flesh. He let it wander inside her mouth, the sensation clearly arousing him. All three of them groaned simultaneously as Silas pulled up the sweater surrounding her and tasted her uncovered pussy, right there on the countertop. The thrill of them needing her right then and there made her wet with need, her hips bucking towards him as he sampled her intimate flesh. She wasn’t sure why, but somehow this felt even naughtier than their time in their outdoor shower or even on the airplane. She couldn’t help but feel like they were two predators in the wild, preparing their catch of the day for the evening meal. “Won’t Mason see? Couldn’t he walk in any moment?” she managed to say between gasps as Max moved in to help his brother free her from her one lone covering. She pushed against them, hesitating with the fear they’d be caught. “Not a chance, baby. He’s at the office today while we enjoy our impromptu vacation,” Silas said with a grin, moving back in to lift the sweater off her body. Still, she couldn’t help but feel like she was exposed. She couldn’t shake it. Like someone was watching them. Max watched her as her eyes darted towards the windows and seemed to immediately intuit her need to feel truly alone with them. “Maybe with all the excitement this morning we should move this party to the bedroom,” Max murmured to both of them. “Gladly,” Silas replied, instantly lifting her into his arms, her bare legs straddling his hips. Flanked by his older brother, he carried her directly to the bed and gently lay her down. She heard Max shut the doors behind them as Silas came down on the bed, his body immediately covering hers. His tongue made lazy spirals, then deep circles with hers, the kiss sending waves of sensation through her. Audrey felt her body arch against his instinctively, her hips quickly locating the evidence of his desire for

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her. She ground against him, hungering for more as she felt his hard length against her, straining beneath his slacks. Max joined them on the bed, taking Silas’ place as the younger brother lifted himself off of her and leaned onto his side. “You have to taste her, Max,” he insisted. Max smiled and quickly obliged, settling himself between her thighs. He grabbed onto her ankles and lifted her knees, then leaned in to look at her up close. “You are too damn beautiful,” he murmured as he bent in for his first taste. “She’s perfect,” Silas added next to her just as he leaned in and pulled up the sweater she still wore. Once he’d finally freed her, he bent against her and sampled the hard peak of her breast. The parallel sensations opened something inside her, an intense wave of pleasure soaking her senses as they continued exploring her body. Max masterfully wove his tongue in and out of her weeping cunt, his lips barely grazing the sensitive ridge of her clit. He looked at her and grinned, fully aware that he was quickly bringing her to the edge of exploding. She heard herself moan as both men moved in for the kill. Silas grazed her throbbing nipples with his teeth while Max firmly fastened his lips around her swollen clit. It was all too much, and she finally succumbed to the pleasure shooting through every inch of her body. She grabbed fistfuls of Max’s hair as every tiny movement of his mouth caused a new wave of sensation to shoot through her body. Her mind deserted her as she surrendered herself to the final undulations of the orgasm, Max tenderly kissing her still spasming folds as he grinned up at her in satisfaction. He pushed up towards her and took a long taste of her mouth, his tongue lingering with hers as she struggled to regain her breath. There was something undeniably erotic about experiencing her taste on his lips. It made her hungry for him, for both of them in a way she couldn’t explain. For the first time in her life, she felt like an animal, surrendering herself to instinct.

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Max looked deep into her eyes. Could he see the feelings burning inside her? Without a word, he untangled himself from between her legs and flipped her face down on the bed. She strained her neck to see the men disrobing on each side of her, their garments softly hitting the floor item by item. They seemed to communicate silently as they switched her into a new position. Silas lay down beside her and pulled her on top of him, plundering her mouth as their hips seemed almost to weave together. The sensation of the silky head of his cock brushing against her swollen clit sent a new wave of pleasure through her body. He groaned as she took his cock in her palm, hungry to feel him inside her. “Hold your horses, darlin’,” Max instructed from behind her. She turned her head to look at him kneeling behind her. “We have to slow things down if we want to do this right.” She hadn’t noticed it, but he must have grabbed a tin of grease from somewhere when they’d switched positions. After he pulled her hips up in the air, he reached into the metal container and then ran the cool, slick moisture over the crevice of her buttocks. The mere touch of his fingers against her anus caused her to tremble with both excitement and anxiety. He smoothed his palms along her spine and massaged her buttocks. “Relax,” Silas instructed, looking up at her. “This is going to feel amazing, but you have to let yourself go, baby.” She nodded a silent response, taking a deep breath and doing her damnedest to unclench her muscles. Silas propped himself up and kissed her tenderly, the warmth of his kiss draining her of any fear inside of her. She trembled as Max slowly inserted one and then two fingers into her anus, sliding in and out of her with a careful rhythm. The still foreign sensation spread through her, her ass seeming to ignite with flames as he stroked in and out of her.

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Silas stroked his cock as he watched this all from beneath her. As she fell into the pace of Max’s motions, she dipped her hips lower to brush the tip of Silas’ hard cock with her cunt. The moisture flowed from deep inside of her, her pussy begging to be filled. Silas immediately responded, firmly holding his straining erection in place as she eased herself down on him. She leaned down against him, letting the sensation of their joined bodies take hold. The pleasure seemed to bloom deep within her. If one lover planted inside her felt this good, how could she possibly handle the pleasure of two? “Are you ready, baby?” he whispered in her ear. She heard Max groan behind her as she felt her ass cheeks being carefully spread apart. Silas leaned upwards to kiss, and she let herself get swept up by the power of his lust, her whole body releasing to the moment. Max gripped her ass as his rock hard dick barely massaged the inside of her forbidden hole. “You need to tell us everything you’re feeling, darlin’. The second it hurts, you gotta say so.” She murmured an affirmation, unsure she could form words in the moment. Ever so carefully, Max pushed himself inside of her, the enormous head of his cock entering and pressing into her tightest, most secret place. She cried out as the sensation of it all washed over her. For the first moment in her whole life, she had completely let go of control. Both of them now firmly implanted within her, Max set the slow, maddening pace of this ultimate experience. All three of them released wild, guttural moans. There was no way she could last. It was all too much. As Max thrust deeper into her bottom, she bounced firmly up and down on top of Silas, his cock finding sensations inside her she had never experienced. “Come for us, baby,” Silas yelled as she tried her damnedest to hold onto the moment. Just his command caused her body to explode,

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the ultimate rush of this shared experience overtaking her senses like she could have never imagined was possible. As she screamed her wild climax, both her lovers simultaneously drove their pulsing cocks deeper inside her as they sought their final release. A tingling heat spread through ever molecule of her being as she continued rocking against her lovers’ now trembling bodies. She fell forward onto Silas’ chest as the release’s aftermath continued humming through her. Max lay down next to them on the bed, and turned her face towards his. “You’re incredible,” he said, their lips mere inches from each other. “I couldn’t have ever imagined…” She wanted to describe the experience, but she was at a loss for words. Silas kissed her deeply on the mouth. “You have one hour to rest, and then it’s time for our evening swim.” The words barely registered as she fell into the deepest afternoon nap she had ever experienced. **** After a long day of flying, fucking, swimming, eating and laughing, the three lovers made their way back to their room and fell into bed exhausted. Audrey had miraculously woken up and joined them for dinner and a late evening swim, the perfect end to the epic day they’d shared. “Today was incredible. Thank you both so much,” Audrey murmured as she nestled in between them. “You can’t imagine how long it’s been since we shared a day like this, baby,” Silas said as he stroked her hair. She cleared her throat, unsure how to say what was on her mind. “It’s been a wonderful time with you both. I’ll be returning to Dallas in the morning, but I hope we’ll get to spend more days like this in the

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near future.” She didn’t mean to sound so business-like in the bedroom, but she wasn’t sure how else to say what she meant. “Do you think you’re leaving tomorrow?” Silas asked her, sounding confused. “Well, of course. You two have a business to run, and I have plenty of work as well. Not to mention that all of my belongings are still at my hotel. I can’t continue wearing Max’s sweater day in and day out, obviously.” Max turned his bedside lamp on and propped himself up on the pillows beside her. “You’re not going anywhere, Audrey Rousseau. You’re going to stay with us, not in some impersonal hotel by yourself.” “He’s right. We’re checking you out of there tomorrow, and you’ll stay here with us. You’d have to be crazy to think we’d let you leave. “ She was too tired to argue and relented to their persuasive ways as sleep folded in around her. “We’ll talk about it in the morning,” she managed, releasing the last of her energy. Max closed in around her, holding her tightly from behind as she struggled to keep her eyes open enough to return Silas’ gaze. It was no use, she finally admitted to herself. She was exhausted and let her eyes droop, the lids too heavy to stay open for even a moment longer. Sleep came hard and fast, the hours swimming away from her. As she fell into a dark and consuming slumber, the vivid images of her dreams flooded Audrey’s vision and consumed her with the same night terror she had lived with time and time again before arriving in Male Order. Why was this happening now, after such a perfect day with the two most wonderful men? She tried desperately to wake herself from the nightmares. She could feel it all happening, but they were too strong. The images consumed her vision no matter how hard she fought to keep them at bay.

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There, as vivid as ever, was Sasha standing over her. It felt as if no time had passed at all. His pale, arctic blue eyes seemed almost lit up with maniacal fervor as he kneeled above her bed, the knife in his hand. He laughed as she choked on her own silence, the twisted anger consuming his lust-filled expression. “I will have you, Audrey. Did you really think you could get away from me?” She woke up screaming his name, sweat bursting from her body as she remembered the endless threats from the violent Russian who haunted her past and continued to lurk in her dreams. She had somehow been foolish enough to think the terrors might have disappeared forever. She had been nightmare-free since arriving in Texas and was further comforted by the sweet protection provided by her two lovers. Yet here he was, haunting her once again. She bolted up in bed to find Silas staring at her, his hands firmly planted on her shoulders in an effort to shake her from her nightmare. “Audrey, it’s me. It’s okay. Please, baby, wake up.” He looked deeply concerned as she finally took in her surroundings and shook the deep imprint of Sasha’s face above her. “What time is it? Where’s Max?” She was so disoriented, overwhelmed by the past rushing back. Apparently her hopes that the past was gone were far too great for reality. “It’s just before dawn, baby. Max went to check on things over at the barn. A calf is due to be born any moment now. Are you all right? You were screaming like someone wanted to kill you. You kept yelling about someone named Sasha.” “Yes, I…I’m fine. I’m sorry to have woken you. Go back to sleep, Silas.” She tried her damnedest to shake the shivers radiating through her body. “You don’t want to talk about it? I’ve never heard anyone scream like that in their sleep.”

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“I just remember that a strange man was stalking me. All I could see were his ice blue eyes as he held the knife above me.” Despite her half-truth, the image alone made her cringe. “You don’t remember who it was? You didn’t know him?” he inquired, clearly trying to read her face. “He was a stranger,” Audrey asserted, pouring every ounce of effort into making her statement sound legitimate. Silas looked her boldly in the face, studying her eyes in the grey early morning light. “You’re lying to me, Audrey. I can tell. Tell me about Sasha.” A defiant rush of adrenaline poured through her veins. Her anger at the terrifying man from her past invading her dreams tainted everything, made Silas’ concern seem like a quest for control over her darkest, most secretive thoughts. “I don’t have to tell you everything, Silas. You barely know me. Why should you require that I share my most intimate dreams with you?” “I barely know you, Audrey? Is that how you really feel?” He looked her square in the eye, obviously shocked by her brutal rejection. She considered trying to backtrack or soften her position, but he’d pushed her too far. “I’ve known you less than a week, Silas. And just because you’ve bedded me doesn’t mean I have to give you everything. I must keep something for myself, can’t you understand that?” “No, I can’t. I demand to know what scared you so goddamn much that you were screaming bloody murder in my bed. You belong to me, and I have to know.” That was enough to send her over the edge. She leaped up onto the bed, for once managing to find a way to tower over him, despite her size. With all the power in her body, she pointed down at him. “I belong to no one, Silas Abrams. I am not for sale, and I am not an object to display on your mantel. I don’t need anyone to protect

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me, for that matter. I don’t want your pity for all I’ve gone through in the past, either. You and Max couldn’t begin to understand it all. That’s for damn sure.” “What do you know about what we’ve been through?” Silas retorted, his face twisted with anger. “I know you were born with a million opportunities I could never have imagined as a child. Have you ever worried about where your next meal would come from? Have you ever been threatened by someone who could take away everything you have, everything you’ve ever dreamt of having?” He was silent, his chest heaving with rapid breaths. He didn’t say a word, his eyes glowing as he stared her down. They stared at one another for what felt like hours, the sudden rift between them stunningly palpable. “I know about pain, Audrey. I know what it is to lose everything important to you.” “So why don’t you ever talk about it? At dinner the other night you told me all about your childhood, but you never talked about the pain living inside both you and your brother. You think I’m stupid, that I wouldn’t notice the picture of you two with the blonde, cutting the ribbon to the department store?” He looked down at the floor, silent. “Tell me about her, Silas! Tell me about Jacqueline!” A heavy silence filled the dark room, Audrey’s pounding heartbeat the only audible sound. “That’s what I thought, Silas. Until you’re ready to open up to me, how can I tell you about my own ghosts?” He looked like he was choking. He said nothing in response, the first time this silver-tongued man seemed to be at a lost for words. She didn’t know what to say or where to go. She couldn’t just leave like this, but nowhere at The Arches would she find her refuge. This wasn’t her home, although she’d begun to feel before this moment like it could have been.

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“I need to be alone. May I borrow a horse from the stable?” She grimaced as she made the request, hating to ask for anything as her anger boiled inside of her. He nodded silently. “Anything you need,” he finally said, unable to look her in the eye. “Don’t follow me. I’ll come back when I’m ready.” Audrey stormed out of the bedroom, slamming both of the French doors behind her as the images and thoughts poured through her. She needed an escape, a chance to lose herself in the abyss of the stark foreign landscape surrounding her. She knew she wasn’t exactly wearing the most appropriate attire for riding, but she didn’t care if a thousand ranch hands spotted her in the only attire she had to wear, Max’s sweater. The feeling of the soft, fine cashmere against her body would calm her spirit, make her feel alive and free again. Besides, she had ridden barefoot as a child almost every day. She mounted Ace, the gorgeous stallion she had previously admired on her first night at The Arches. He was Max’s favorite for pleasure riding, and she guessed he would understand her desire to be alone. Just her and the horse. It was the perfect antidote for her disturbing thoughts. As they took off together, Audrey pressed Ace to gallop faster and faster into the wild, barren grounds edging the house she had come to feel so comfortable inhabiting. How could a place that felt like home yesterday now feel so foreign? She just wanted to drown in speed and forget the past, but Sasha and her fears seemed to loom around every corner. The frantic rhythm of the ride soothed her, and she let her body flow to the manic pace as every moment brought her farther and farther away from her dreadful awakening.

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Chapter Eleven Aleksandr couldn’t stand the Texas heat. The hot morning sun beat down upon him, despite the fact that it was nearly the middle of September. I’ll just take care of this business and be on the first boat back to Paris. It’s only a matter of time, now. Watching Audrey with the Abrams brothers had only confirmed everything he’d hoped and dreamed of before he’d followed Audrey all the way to this godforsaken place. What better way to get to her than to ruin the careers of her two cowboy lovers? Knowing of their impending doom had brought him much joy since he’d followed Audrey to Male Order on the night of the party. Vigilant about not being caught, he had made several undetected trips back to The Arches. He learned the layout of the property and watched the disgusting romance between the three of them develop. He hated her. Hated to see her happy, most of all. No one humiliated Aleksandr Michaelovitch, least of all someone who owed her whole life to him. She would pay dearly for her mistake. He had no doubt about it. The rage boiled inside of him and put him in a trance as he sat in his car on the hilltop parallel to the Abramses’ lavish home. Lost in his plans for revenge, the sound of horse’s hooves startled him. His heart pounded as he saw Audrey flying near him atop a wild black stallion. The brush surrounding him might protect her from seeing him at the peak of the hill, but only momentarily. She would discover him within moments. There was no way in hell she would gain the upper hand by finding him out and revealing their history to the brothers. He needed to do something—fast—to scare her away. He pulled out the tiny

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pistol he kept underneath his passenger seat and aimed high, swiftly considering his next move. **** Audrey wanted to be lost, lost to the entire world. As she let Ace take over the rhythm of the ride, everything seemed to fall away around her. Thoughts no longer flooded her. She allowed herself to be submerged in the sound and sensation of the stallion galloping beneath her. She didn’t care if she was riding recklessly. The rhythm and pounding of the hooves on the earth beneath her blocked out the scenes constantly playing over and over in her mind. As she flew towards the top of the hill out of sight from the house, she recalled the first night she arrived at The Arches, looking up at the house with so much anxiety and anticipation. Even if she hadn’t wanted to admit it to herself at that moment, she had gotten everything she was secretly wishing for during that first twilight in Male Order. The memory of that first night with Max and Silas flooded her vision, distracting her just long enough to notice too late the glint of chrome and steel just beyond the brush on the top of the hill. As quickly as she realized the appearance of the unfamiliar vehicle, the sound of the shot overwhelmed her senses and slowed her reflexes. The stallion beneath her reared and bucked her to the ground, wild with the scare of the deafening blast in his ears. Everything faded into black, the inky void providing a comforting abyss around her. **** Exhausted and terrified, Max galloped towards the house, gruffly yelling his brother’s name. The second Silas opened the doors, he came running, immediately aware that something was terribly wrong.

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Max handed a barely conscious Audrey to his younger brother as he dismounted from his horse. Ace was nowhere to be found. Her limp body splayed across Silas’ arms, Max looked down at his little brother with terror in his heart. “What the hell happened to her?” Silas asked, his eyes wide with panic. “I found her on the ground, just above the ridge. I followed the hoof prints to find her, but the stallion’s gone. She was on the ground, delirious. Doesn’t help that it’s damn near ninety degrees out. She might have been lying there for an hour before I got to her.” The familiar sweater he’d lent her was torn to shreds, barely covering her nude, battered torso. Dirt smeared the fine lines of her face, and her hair was disheveled. “Looks like Ace got spooked, threw her to the ground and trampled her,” Max said as he examined the doll-like body in Silas’ arms. “Let’s get her to the bed. Have Mason phone Dr. Kingston immediately,” his brother finally replied, clearly in shock. “I’m not leaving her side, Silas. You tell Mason about this damn disaster. You let this happen to her, now you fix it.” Max and Silas locked eyes for one heated moment, Max insistently taking their injured lover in his arms. If it hadn’t been for the state Audrey was in, they would have most certainly come to blows that very moment. **** Max walked away from Silas in a heated fury. A flood of guilt and anger flowed over Silas the second he was alone. This was all far too reminiscent of his most dreaded flashback, the morning that Max called to tell him of the fire at The Arches. This time, though, if anything happened to their lover, it would be Silas to blame. How could he have let her go in such a state of anger and then

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failed to follow? Could he live with the kind of guilt his brother had been forced to bear after Jackie’s death? He ran into the house behind Max and Audrey, the drive to fix this terrible mistake exploding inside of him, supplanting his rage from the past. “Mason!” he roared fiercely into the intercom. “Call the doctor immediately. Audrey’s been thrown from a horse.” “My goodness,” Mason immediately responded. “Right away, sir. Please let me know what I might do to make Miss Audrey more comfortable.” Silas sprang into action as he opened up the master bedroom for her, throwing back the bedding before Max gently placed her down on the mattress. He watched helplessly as his older brother carefully tore off her tattered sweater, stripping and examining her for any deep wounds or broken bones with the care of a surgeon. Mason arrived in the room silently, carrying a tray of first aid supplies, wet cloths and a cold jug of ice water. Silas poured the liquid into a tall glass and sat next to her. She murmured as he placed a cool cloth on her forehead, her eyes fluttering open as she took in her surroundings. “You need to drink this, sweetheart,” Silas said as he carefully propped her head up and held the glass to her mouth. She silently nodded and weakly swallowed two mouthfuls before collapsing back on the bed, her eyes fluttering shut. Max looked at him and Mason, a clear sound of relief ringing in his voice. “I think she’s going to be all right. There are definitely some bruised ribs, but I’m fairly sure Doc Kingston won’t find anything life threatening.” The three of them looked at one another, the mood of the room mellowing as Audrey settled into the bed, her expression appearing more and more restful by the moment. “I need to speak to you, Silas,” Max said with a quiet intensity. “Mason, will you do us a favor and check Miss Rousseau out of her

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hotel in Dallas? I’m sure she’ll want her things once she’s awake, and I want her to be comfortable here.” “Yes, sir. Right away,” he responded, relief sounding in his voice. Mason immediately departed, and it was for the best he had gone. The poor man had witnessed many a fight between the brothers, and always immediately intuited when it was best not to get between the two men. Max pulled Silas forcefully up off of the bed and pushed him into the hallway with a swift, explosively strong gesture. “I think you best tell me what happened, Silas. Why was she horseback riding alone half naked at the crack of dawn? Where were you? “ he said in a gruff, accusatory tone. “We got in a fight after you left for the stables. I woke up to her screaming in her sleep about someone named Sasha. She was begging him to leave her alone, and she was crying. I’ve never heard anyone sound like that before, so full of fear. But when I asked her about it, she got furious with me and told me she was going for a ride, and that she needed to be alone. She didn’t want anything to do with me and acted like I was a total stranger.” “And you let her go, not bothering to check and see if something was wrong after hours had gone by?” Max retorted skeptically. “When a woman as strong as Audrey says she wants to be alone, I believe her. There’s something wrong here, Max—she was like a different person this morning. There’s something huge she hasn’t told us. Whoever this Sasha character is, he or she scarred her deep down to the bone.” “We’ll find out what happened to her in due time. For now, let’s just wait for the doctor and be with her.” They walked back into the bedroom, the familiar space where the three of them had already shared so much together in such a short time. Max and Silas sat silently with Audrey, watching her sleep. She looked so pale and small, the sound of her shallow breath the only

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audible noise in the otherwise hushed room. Even in this vulnerable state, her beauty overwhelmed Silas. She was going to be fine. She had to be.

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Chapter Twelve Audrey awoke to three pairs of eyes watching her intently, the sound of her own name ringing in her ears. As she fully regained consciousness, she became aware of the ache radiating through every part of her body. She took an assessment of the situation. Obviously something dreadful had happened to her, but what? As her vision came into focus, she tried to speak but had trouble finding her voice. “How long has it been?” she finally asked, the quiet sound of the words catching in her throat. “You’ve been asleep almost twenty hours, baby,” Silas replied, his face flooded with a combination of relief and worry. “What happened?” she asked, trying for a moment to sit up before shooting pain spread through her ribcage. “Miss Rousseau, my name is Doctor Grant Kingston, and I’ve been looking after you since yesterday. You took quite a fall from Ace, do you recall?” The unfamiliar but kind man sat closest to her on the enormous bed, carefully examining her injuries. “You’re a very lucky woman, Audrey. You have three bruised ribs, but judging from what we’ve gathered about your accident, it seems you could have suffered far worse. It seems everything is under control with your condition, but I’ll be back tomorrow to check on your progress. I’m glad you’re awake, and I look forward to working with you on a full recovery.” She nodded weakly as the kind doctor departed from the room, leaving her alone with Max and Silas. Silence filled the room as Max and Silas flanked her on both sides, staring intently at her.

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Finally breaking the weight of the quiet, Max cleared his throat to speak. “We need to know what happened, Audrey. We know you were thrown from the horse, but why?” “And why did you run away from me like that?” Silas chimed in. “I just needed to be alone,” she weakly answered. “Stop hiding the truth from us, Audrey. We can handle just about anything, as long as you tell us the truth,” Max responded, his voice heavy with concern and frustration. “If you’re not ready, we can wait. But we need to know,” Silas said softly, clearly trying to diffuse the tension of the moment. After a long silence, the words finally began to come to her. “No, it’s all right. I don’t want to hide anything anymore. I have recurring nightmares about someone. He’s a very powerful man who ran my life in Paris and made my world a living hell.” “Who is he? A former lover? Your…husband?” Silas asked, wincing. “Are you sure you want to hear this?” Max nodded forcefully. “We must, Audrey. We must know everything about you.” She took a deep breath and began her story. “When I was seventeen, I spent all my waking moments working as a seamstress. I still lived in the orphanage I had been forced into after my father died. Sasha had just arrived in Paris from St. Petersburg and came into the shop. It was surprising to see any gentlemen in a place such as that, but we certainly never expected a cousin of the royal family. “He took an immediate interest in me, especially in my skill as a designer. I must have made him ten suits in the first month of knowing him, and he would sit and talk with me for hours on end while I made him whatever he wished. He paid me handsomely, loved my work, and was the first person who had ever seen something special inside me. “Before long, though, I began to see his dark side. He would literally inspect my seams and designs with a magnified glass and

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once destroyed an elaborate winter coat I had spent weeks designing for him. He stood in front of me after grabbing the scissors out of my hand cutting the fabric into tiny bits as he made me watch him destroy one of the most beautiful things I had ever produced. I never allowed myself to cry when these things happened, and my stoic response only fanned the flames of his tempestuous temper. “And yet, despite these episodes, he made me many promises and produced grandiose business schemes for me. He would take his cut as my manager, of course, but he held the keys to my greatest fantasy, a shop in the most fashionable section of Paris. I couldn’t believe then that it could all be mine. He introduced me to the high society of Paris and purchased a flat for me big enough to live and sew in. It was the most luxurious thing I could ever have imagined for myself. But as my debt to him grew deeper and deeper, the wilder and more impossible his expectations of me became. He once held a knife to my throat when I failed to please him. I was his showpiece, his doll to everyone in Paris, but behind closed doors I was his slave. “He begged me to be with him, threatened that if I wouldn’t sleep with him that he would throw me out on the street. But I never bowed to his threats. I told him I didn’t like men and gave him just about every excuse under the sun. But the truth was that I was terrified he would and could take it all away from me, even as I was becoming a huge success after I opened my store on Rue Cambon, right in front of the most famous hotel in Paris, the Ritz. “In public, my life was a dream, but in private it was a nightmare. The more I overshadowed him, the more I was afraid I would never escape him. And then, one afternoon, I was reading Vogue and I saw the cover article about you both. I didn’t even know where Dallas was when I learned of Jacqueline’s! But it sounded so wild, and so far away. I became obsessed with the idea of Texas. It became my ultimate escape fantasy.”

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Audrey paused, realizing she was lost in a sea of thoughts and had almost forgotten her audience. Both men stared at her silently, their eyes reflecting deep concern. “It’s over now, yet it continues to haunt me,” she continued unsteadily, trying to read Max and Silas’ reaction. “Where is he now?” Max finally replied, an obvious note of anger hanging on his breath. “I don’t know, honestly. In Paris, I assume. Yet, I can’t help but keep looking over my shoulder, especially when something like this happens.” Silas’ brow furrowed as he began to speak. “Audrey, I want you to tell us everything you remember before you were thrown from the horse.” “All I remember was riding fast. I was being reckless, there’s no doubt about it. I just wanted to shut off my fears and all the emotions flooding me in the moment. I wanted so much to forget my past that when you pressed me, Silas, all I could remember was the tone in Sasha’s voice when he would threaten me. I let Ace explode into too fast a gallop, but the speed felt so good and I was overconfident about my control. The last thing I remember before the fall was the sound of a gunshot and the horse rearing up into the air. I don’t know where it came from, but it must have scared him terribly. Everything else is gone.” “Did you see anyone? Where did the shot come from?” Worry had clearly spread to Max’s face as he questioned her. “It’s just all gone,” she said as she strained to remember. “Couldn’t it have been one of your workers hunting? Someone from Male Order accidentally straying onto your property?” She suddenly felt exhausted by the inquisition taking place. Her eyes heavy, she leaned back into the seductive comfort of the bed beneath her. She couldn’t help but begin to drift back into the softness of her healing rest. It was all too much to experience at once, all this love and fear and confusion pouring over her simultaneously.

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“That’s enough for now, baby. We’re sorry to put you through all of this, but we want to know everything. We care so much about you, Audrey, and we trust you. And we want you to feel the same with us,” Max said with a soothing tone, clearly doing his best to be gentle with her in her weakened state. She lost herself in the words as she drifted back towards unconsciousness. **** Audrey fell back on the pillow, her eyes fluttering as they did their best to comfort her. “I don’t like the sound of this at all,” Max said as he pulled his brother away from the bed. “This Sasha guy is responsible for this, I’m sure of it.” “Don’t jump to conclusions, Max. If it were him, why wouldn’t he just shoot her? I’ve heard many a stray bullet on our property, too. Why are you so convinced this maniac is hiding out, waiting to get her?” He felt as if a boulder had settled in his throat. “I picked something up when I found Audrey, something that clearly didn’t belong to her.” He pulled the silk handkerchief out of his pocket. It was still dusty from where he’d found it in the tire tracks left just beyond where he’d found her. “Name any man—or woman, for that matter—in Male Order who carries a handkerchief like this while hunting. And why was there a car up on the ridge? How did it even get up there?” Silas shook his head, just as unable to answer as he was. “I will find answers, Silas. I assume you’re with me.” ****

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After days of being watched like a hawk by Max and Silas, Audrey finally convinced them she was capable of looking after herself for an afternoon. “Mason will take wonderful care of me, I’m sure of it,” she insisted as both men’s brows furrowed at her stubborn resistance to their doting, constant attention. “We just want to make sure you’re safe, Audrey. We have a tendency to be a bit…protective. That’s all,” Silas asserted from the edge of the bed. “You can’t watch me every moment for the rest of time, Silas. And don’t you have a business to attend to? Don’t you have more important things to think about right now?” “What could be more important than your safety?” Max countered, inching his way closer to her. He took her face in his rough hands and tenderly kissed her on the forehead. “Please, Max. I know you’re just looking out for me, but I really need this. Go work, and when you come home, I’ll be right where you left me.” They looked in each others’ eyes for a long moment, his gaze clearly searching hers as he finally gave into her cajoling. “We’ll be back in three hours, Audrey. We are giving Mason strict instructions to check on you once every half hour,” Max finally responded. “Yes, sir,” Audrey teased in her most obedient voice. The moment they left, Audrey carefully slipped out of bed and let the silk pajamas she had borrowed from Silas fall to the floor. She tiptoed into the master bathroom and drew a bath for herself in the massive bathtub. As she carefully climbed into the warm suds, she basked in the peace that had begun to settle over the house again since the accident. Although her lovers were convinced that Sasha was lurking around every corner waiting for an attack, Audrey knew that wasn’t his style. He was all business, all the time, and would do anything he

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could to destroy them professionally. He was an aristocrat by birth, and he could manipulate anyone and bend them to his will. He might threaten her, but somehow she wasn’t afraid of him any longer. She had made the decision that she could no longer live with fear haunting her every breath. Although her body still felt weak, she felt stronger than ever before. She had made a decision. She would face him when the moment arrived to do so. Audrey submerged her entire body in the hot water and then carefully emerged from the bathtub, wrapping herself neatly in several luxurious towels. As she walked into the bedroom, she hatched a plan to fill the rest of her afternoon alone. She would dress herself and convince Mason that she was fine alone, and that she wanted to cook a romantic dinner for Max and Silas. Audrey would create a simple meal for the three of them, and they would finally begin to relax once again. She was resolved to live this new life to the fullest, the excitement for her future in this gorgeous, foreign world truly taking hold of her. She felt like herself again, but far improved. She couldn’t wait for her two men to return home.

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Chapter Thirteen The moment they stepped into the entryway of their house, the incredible smell of saffron, garlic and tomato hit Max. Silas looked at him, wide-eyed. “What did she do?” They both raced into the kitchen, the concern for her washing over him. There Audrey stood, whistling to some jazz tune as she stirred something in their massive soup pot. She looked absolutely charming, her tiny frame dwarfed behind the stove. She was wearing one of his old work shirts and had tied a red handkerchief around her hair to keep it from getting in her face. “You are in so much trouble, missy!” Max said as he crossed to her, fully intending to pick her up and carry her back to the bedroom for a punishment. “Remember what you promised? That you wouldn’t move from that bed, that’s what! And where the hell is Mason?” “Wait, Max. First, you must try this. It’s my favorite French dish, bouillabaisse. We used to eat this all the time when we would visit my grandmother by the seaside.” She held a wooden spoon to his mouth, and he sipped the rich broth she had concocted for them. Immediately, his intentions melted as the powerful flavors made him forget everything else. She then gave a taste to Silas, quickly spurring an identical reaction in his little brother. “Dammit, Audrey, you shouldn’t be in here! And what did you do with Mason? Answer me! “ Max finally mustered, gathering his wits. “I dismissed him for the night,” she replied, a cool nonchalance masking her troubling statement. “Here, please. Sit down, boys.

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Forget about everything else and let me serve you this dish. I’ve worked very hard, and I hope you’ll enjoy it.” God damn, this woman is persuasive. Before Max could say another word, Audrey had placed one finger on his mouth in a hushing moment. She grabbed him by the shoulders and tenderly sat him down at the small table she had carefully set for the three of them. Placed before them was a simple meal but one of the best he’d ever tasted—she completed the delicate soup with a fresh out of the oven baguette and a bottle of rosé from Silas’ collection. They ate in silence, enjoying her masterful work. Was there anything she couldn’t do or make perfectly? It had been months since they’d eaten a home-cooked meal of this quality. Mason did well enough, but nothing could compare to this. “You’re still in trouble, you know,” Max said as he finished off the last morsels remaining of the dish. “The minute you’re completely well, I’m going to give you a nice long spanking for this,” Silas added. She nodded quietly, a small grin forcing itself onto her face. “You’re awfully quiet, Audrey,” Silas noted as she looked down at her barely touched dinner. “You know we’re just worried about you, right, baby?” She again nodded silently, but as he looked more closely at her, Max noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. “What is it, darlin’? What’s the matter? Are you hurting?” Max asked, the ache of seeing her unhappy spreading through him forcefully. She finally looked up at them, clearly gathering her courage to vocalize what she was thinking. “I was thinking today about the future. I’ve been so happy here, and I can’t thank you two enough for everything you’ve done for me. But there’s something huge we need to talk about if there’s any chance this can continue,” she said quietly.

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“Tell me,” Max replied, a pit of anxiety forming in his stomach. “I need you to tell me about Jackie. I’ve told you of my past, and it hurts that neither of you trust me enough to be honest with me.” The minute she said the words, Max felt his heart race as the memories immediately rushed back to him of that terrible night three years ago. She stared him down as he searched for something to tell her in response. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he finally replied, the words tumbling out of his mouth. Silas looked on, also apparently lost on how to approach the tender subject. “I don’t care if you want to talk about it, Max. I have to know.” Silence loomed in the room as he grasped for a way to begin. He took a deep breath and searched for the words. “She was ours, always had been since the time we were children. We were days away from being married, and then she died. What else do you want me to say?” The anger boiled inside of him, desperate to erupt. “There’s a lot to say, Max! God forbid I find out what’s actually happening in your heart. That you actually open yourself up to me, or to your brother for that matter. The pain is written all over you, mon cher, and clearly whatever you’re hiding is slowly killing you, slowly crushing the free spirit inside of you. And I hate to see that happen to anyone, much less to someone who I care about so deeply.” Max felt his body tense with anger. “What makes you think you can just waltz in here and undo years of history? She died in my arms, Audrey. Because of me. Nothing you can do will change that.” He felt his face heat to a scarlet red, his mouth twisted by the weight of the words he had delivered. Tiny beads of sweat gathered on his forehead. This wasn’t a man he ever wanted to show her, but the pain radiating through him made it difficult to hide the bubble of rage inside of him. “Why can’t you let me in and finally unburden yourself?” A silence settled over the three of them as he looked Audrey in the eye, desperate to avoid lashing out at her.

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“What do you want to know about it, Audrey?” he finally mustered. “I want to know what happened, that’s all. And why it’s driven such a wedge between you two. It’s that simple.” Max took a deep breath and gathered his strength. How can something this simple be so damn hard? “When we built The Arches the first time around, I installed a complex telephone system in the house, with wires running through all the walls. The technology was still pretty new, and I didn’t realize the danger of the internal system heating up inside the plaster. The night of the fire, I was working late in the studio and Jackie had gone to sleep. Someone had accidentally left the phone off the hook in the kitchen and the heat it produced caused the flames to spread rapidly throughout the living quarters. By the time I smelled the smoke, I was too late to get her. Trying to save her almost killed me, and I’m sure you’ve noticed the scars.” Audrey nodded silently, taking in every word of his story. Suddenly, Silas chimed in quietly, telling his side of the story. “I was in Europe when it happened, actually. The war had ended, but I had gone back to attend engineering classes at Oxford, working on my early plane designs. When I got the call from Max, I was just so damn angry that I wasn’t here. I was gone a lot back then, first fighting and then studying. She came with me when she could during those last years, but she missed Male Order and hated being so far away. “And yeah, I got angry. Angry that I wasn’t there, angry that the woman we’d loved all our lives was taken from us for something so senseless as faulty wiring. I came home, but nothing was the same. We poured ourselves into the work, but the pain didn’t go away. It’s been awful between us ever since. “But since you arrived here, Audrey, everything’s different. Max, I’m not angry anymore, with you or with myself. What happened is

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long over, and hating yourself isn’t going to make a damn bit of difference.” Max locked eyes with his little brother and saw the honest truth of his words. A silent moment passed between them, the tension of the past three years seeming, at least for that instant, to lift from his shoulders. **** After the silence passed, Silas cleared his throat. “There’s something else we’ve been keeping from you, Audrey, and I feel like we need to discuss it since it affects everyone in this room’s safety.” Max’s eyes darted at his, but he knew this couldn’t wait a moment longer. “We know where Sasha is,” Silas began unsteadily. “At least we did until yesterday,” Max admitted, looking down at the floor. “But I am completely confident we will have his whereabouts in the next twenty-four hours.” Audrey looked stunned, her face turning pale in the glow of the candlelight still burning at the dinner table. “How? Where?” she managed to say quietly from across the table. “After your accident, we spent hours trying to piece together any information we had on him. We put together a team of private investigators in Dallas and quickly realized that we’d actually come into contact with him,” Silas explained. “Wait…you’ve met him?” “He approached us with a business deal just days before you arrived in Dallas. We both got an uneasy feeling from him, but he made some big, enticing promises about helping us break into the European market,” Max continued. “We decided to hold off on signing anything with him, and we put everything aside when you came to stay with us. We lost touch with him for a few days, because we were a bit…distracted…you might

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say. After your accident, all I could think about was your dream. I was haunted by the one image you shared with me, your nightmares filled with Sasha’s bitter, icy eyes. “It took me a while to remember that Sasha is the Russian nickname for Aleksandr, the name he’d used when introducing himself to us. But when I thought of your words, I immediately remembered those frigid eyes from our business meeting. I’m not sure if he was trying to hide his identity from us, but it didn’t work for long.” Max took a deep breath and continued, “Once we figured out that we knew the bastard, we began tracking his every move. We kept in contact with him and played dumb, trying to reel him into a meeting so we could have him arrested.” “On what grounds?” Audrey asked, her brow furrowed with concern. “With attempted murder, baby,” Silas said softly. “We’re sure that he was after you when you fell from the horse.” Just thinking about it made Max’s blood boil with rage. He did everything in his power to remain calm, but it was easier said than done. “He agreed to meet with us, and we were ready with a whole backup team to get him. But he never showed.” Audrey looked on the verge of fainting. Silas, looking desperate to soothe her, took her hand. “Baby, we have men monitoring the whole property for any sight of him. You are safe here. We would never allow anything to happen to you. You must know that. We will find him, have no doubt in your mind about it. We won’t rest until we do.” **** Audrey nodded silently, taking in everything Max and Silas told her and let it settle over her.

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“Please let us promise that we’ll always be honest with each other, from this moment forward,” she said quietly, her eyes shifting from one brother to the next. “We can’t waste our time living like this. Life is too precious, no?” Both Silas and Max nodded in agreement. “I love you, Audrey Rousseau. I never want to do anything that will push you away, and I’m sorry we kept these things from you. We were only trying to protect you,” Max said softly. She had never seen him like this before, and his statement clearly surprised Silas as well. “You must have known that I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you speeding away from the store, that I’ve loved every moment of being with you since you burst into our lives. You’ve known that, haven’t you, Audrey?” Silas added, his hand reaching for hers across the kitchen table. She nodded silently, overwhelmed by the men sitting across from her. “And I love you even more since I’ve tasted your cooking,” he added with his playful grin. “I don’t know how or why it’s happened, but it has. I’m in love with you both. Me, Audrey Rousseau, French orphan turned fashion designer, is in love with two Texas cowboy brothers. The world moves in mysterious ways. Thank you both for being the best surprise I have ever received in my whole damn life,” she said with a laugh. She truly couldn’t believe this all had happened, but here she was, professing her love to the Abrams brothers. “We need to get our minds off of things, you two. We need to celebrate,” Silas said as he leaned into Audrey and kissed her gently on the mouth. “Let me get something special for us,” he said as he stood up from the table. “Let’s meet in the den, little brother,” Max said and he stood and bent to lift her from her seat. “God damn it, Max. I’m not broken! I feel fine!” She resisted with all her might as he pulled her small frame into her arms. “Just give it up, darlin’. You’re mine now, and I’ll do as I like.”

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“I’ll never give up, Max Abrams. And don’t you forget it,” she asserted, despite relaxing in his arms as he swiftly moved them into the living room. The evening was the coolest she had felt since arriving in Texas, although it was far warmer than she was used to in France at that time of year. As they stepped into the living room, Max lay her down on a chaise longue in front of the massive fireplace and began to prepare a fire for the three of them. “Is it really cool enough to have a fire?” He looked up with a smirk. “If we get hot, we can always turn on the house’s cooling system,” he replied. “Max Abrams, that is the most absurd thing I have ever heard.” “You’re in Texas, my dear. Get used to it. And wouldn’t a fire be nice with whatever Silas is digging out of the wine cellar?” She nodded silently, admitting defeat. She knew when to give into their charms, but would never admit how much she loved to be taken care of by them. As Max stoked the growing fire in the hearth, his younger brother joined Audrey, who had moved to the floor and lay propped up carefully on a mound of pillows. In his hand, Silas vigilantly balanced three tulip-shaped glasses of amber liquor. “Is that what I think it is, darling?” she said as she accepted her glass and looked carefully at its contents. “1811 Cognac,” Silas replied mischievously. “I’ve been saving it for a moment like this.” Audrey breathed in the fine scent in the glass. “They say 1811 was a very rare year, that the Great Comet shone in the sky for all of that autumn, visible to the naked eye. That it was because of this that the grapes were so fine.” Max rejoined them on the floor as the fire began to roar with strength. The three of them clinked their glasses together, and she let the small droplets linger on her tongue, filling her senses with complex flavors of nutmeg, honey, and apricots.

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“As much as I enjoy your outfit this evening, I think we need to get this off of you,” Max said as he slowly began to unbutton the work shirt she’d stolen from him. He slowly stripped the loose garment off of her, his fingers wandering her slightly moist skin made hot by the heat of the fire and the cognac in her belly. “I can’t wait until you’re all better and we can do what we really want to you,” Max whispered in her ear as he pulled her with him onto the chaise longue behind them. “But until then, we’re gonna treat you right, Miss Rousseau.” Max seated her firmly on his lap, her lower half splayed across him. Silas came to kneel on the plush fur rug beneath them, his eyes full of anticipation as he gently lowered her pants to her ankles, leaving her completely nude save for the fabric gathered at her shins. Max brushed her hair to the side of her face and began to slowly kiss and caress the sensitive area descending from the nape of her neck to the space between her shoulder blades. “You need to tell us where you’re sore, darlin’. Promise us, won’t you?” “I’m fine, you two. I swear. I can barely notice anything happened to me, at least physically,” she replied, doing her best to quiet the look of concern that had spread across both men’s faces. “How about I make you come and then Max massages you from head to toe until you fall asleep?” Silas asked with a glint in his eye. Her pussy immediately soaked at his alluring proposal. She nodded vigorously and murmured in agreement. Who could say no to being completely pampered by these two gorgeous men? “Bet you didn’t know I was an expert masseuse, huh, darlin’?” Max whispered as his gentle touches down her back evolved into a vigorous rub. Silas didn’t hesitate to start, immediately cradling her thighs on his shoulders as his tongue took deep laps at her clit. “I needed this. I never want a day to go by where I don’t taste you, Audrey,” he said as he let two fingers trail their way towards her puckered hole. As his digits explored her damp cunt, he took his glass

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in his hand and let several droplets of the fine cognac drip down her mound. She braced herself as the tiny sting of the alcohol droplets mixed with the immediate sensation of Silas’ tongue lapping furiously at the trail down her delicate folds. Max held her firmly in place against him as Silas ravenously consumed every inch of her, his masterful tongue exploring every tender surface. The rhythm of his actions built to a frantic pace as the pleasure mounted with every passing second. “I can’t imagine anything more perfect than this,” he said quietly as he watched the amber droplets drip down her clit. She laughed and then let out a deep sigh of arousal “It’s quite a man who loves to consume fine cognac while pleasuring his woman.” “There are no two tastes I could enjoy more,” Silas replied as he unrepentantly immersed himself in the experience, driving her closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy as his pace continued to swell. “I can’t take it anymore,” she heard herself say as the waves of sensation rose and fell inside her. Max held her closely against him, his hands firmly stroking the rigid buds of her nipples as she ground herself against Silas’ grasp. The heat of her orgasm seemed to pass through her relentlessly, her body barely her own any more. All thoughts ceased as the sensations took over, each uncontrollable spasm ricocheting through every part of her. The men watched hungrily as Silas continued torturing her cunt by tracing the outline of her mound with the tips of his soaked fingers. Every light touch seemed to bring another wave of pleasure, even as he almost ceased to touch her completely. Her heart raced as she tried desperately to catch her breath. “Nothing turns me on more than watching you come,” Max growled in her ear as she felt his stiff cock rub against her backside. “I can’t wait to feel you both inside me,” she said, locking eyes first with Silas below her and then turning to Max’s face mere inches from hers.

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“Not until the doctor gives us his final approval. Until then, you’re going to have to wait for us,” Silas ordered, despite the raging erection she could see bulging from his slacks. “I want it so badly. Please give it to me,” she begged. “We’re just all going to have to be patient,” Max replied with strict authority. “And then we’re going to fuck your brains out for days in a row.” She groaned at the thought as the spasms of pleasure continued to quietly ricochet through her torso. “Why are you two so goddamn good? Break the rules, for once.” “Not when it comes to your health, darlin’,” Max said as he gathered her in his colossal arms and stood above the chaise longue. “How ‘bout that massage, though?” She nodded silently, happy to concede as he stretched her body out in front of the fireplace, her body sinking into the velvety fur of the rug. Max left the room momentarily, quickly returning with a bottle of oil in his hand. He then kneeled just above her, his palms rubbing her with oil from the nape of her neck to the tips of her toes. As his hands began to explore every inch of her, every thought seemed to pass out of her. She let her mind drift as total relaxation enveloped her. “I really do love you, Audrey Rousseau,” was the last thing that entered her consciousness before she succumbed completely to the total decadence of the evening.

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Chapter Fourteen Audrey caught a quick glimpse of the sun shining through the windowpanes filling the entire wall of the lavish room. She had just a moment to realize they must have let her sleep in quite awhile after their late night together. Before she knew what was happening, she found herself blindfolded and being lifted out of the bed. “Must you always wake me up this way?” she protested as she felt Max’s arms gather around her naked body. “I know you love a good surprise, darlin’,” Max whispered in her ear. “We want to celebrate your recovery. You’ll have to see him one more time, but the doc told us this morning that if you’re up and about with no pain, you have a clean bill of health.” He carried her down the hall, and she was finally familiar enough with the house’s layout to know she was being carried into the studio wing. “It was one thing to be treated like a child when I was legitimately sick. Now I insist on standing and enjoying the use of my own two feet!” “We know you like it, Audrey. Don’t try to deny it. Just wait to see what we have in store for you,” Silas said from somewhere in front of her. The door to the main studio opened, and Max gently placed her on the ground and removed her blindfold. Three mannequins stood in front of her dressed to the nines. Her eye was immediately drawn to the women’s gown amid two smartly designed men’s tuxedos. This dress was obviously made for her, and the moment she took in its details, she knew it was perfect. A cream colored chiffon cape

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draped the shoulders of the female form and was edged with complementary pearl-colored feathers and smocked at the shoulders and hem. She gently admired the craftsmanship of the outerwear, then peeled it back carefully to admire the garment beneath it. A matching ivory floor-length lace dress asymmetrically draped the slender mannequin. “It’s gorgeous,” she said quietly as she carefully examined the stitching of the elaborate gown. “Where did it come from?” Max cleared his throat. Was that a tiny hint of a blush she saw in his face? “We designed it for you, Audrey. We had our assistant Katherine do the sewing work. She did a fine job, didn’t she?” “It’s remarkable that I didn’t make it myself!” Audrey responded with a laugh. She kissed each man tenderly on the mouth. How could anyone know her this well, much less two people? “And look at these suits, so masterfully constructed. I can’t believe you had someone make my designs without me even knowing it! But where should we go in such finery? I haven’t dressed in a gown since I left Paris. Don’t you Texans turn up your noses at fancy costumes? I’ve heard you wear denim at weddings, even.” Silas took her hand in his and looked at her with his most devilish grin. “Once a year we go all out, you might say…” “It’s called The Cotillion, Audrey. It happens every year in Male Order and is very serious business amongst the women in this town. I suppose the men as well, but the women take it all very seriously. Most everyone attends.” “Oh, I see. And you are asking me to this cotillion, then?” “Yes, Audrey. We’ve skipped it for the past few years, but we’d very much like to escort you, if you’ll have us and care to go,” Max said with a complementary grin to his younger brother’s. “Hmm. May I have the afternoon to consider?” Audrey feigned the most serious look she could conjure up for the men.

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The two of them looked at her, then each other, shocked by her response. She couldn’t help but burst out laughing as a look of genuine sadness settled across both of their faces. “It was a joke!” She couldn’t believe she had convinced them of her seriousness. “Come on, boys…” “We’re a bit rusty at this, Audrey. Be gentle!” Silas joked, his voice clearly signaling the relief he felt at her response. “Of course I’ll attend. But I have to see these suits on you first to make sure they are properly fitted for you,” she replied sincerely. Max and Silas passed a look between each another that spoke of some secret knowledge they shared. “We knew you would insist on that,” Max answered after she looked at them questioningly. “I want them to be perfect! It’s my job. Now, what are you waiting for?” she teased. The brothers obediently stripped down, and she watched as they carefully dressed in the unique finery she had designed specifically for them. She inspected their dramatically different styles and was pleased how they reflected each Abrams’ personality. Silas looked stylish in his cream-colored tailcoat, double-breasted vest and yellow silk tie. Max donned a tuxedo in black from head to toe, his waistcoat carefully embroidered with ornate silvery thread. He pulled his black cowboy boots back on and immediately tucked the slim cut pants into the tops of his Texan footwear. Max caught sight of her subtle eye roll. “Miss Audrey Rousseau, these are some of the finest boots money can buy. Why should I hide them?” “It’s just such a strange thing to me. Perhaps I will adjust in time.” “You best be! We will make you a Texan yet,” Max replied to her skeptical answer. “What do you think, Audrey?” Silas asked, smiling as he adjusted his cream-colored top hat.

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“Quite dapper, I must say. I think I captured you both perfectly, even if I didn’t even know you when I designed these,” she replied as she bent to fix the cuffs of his fine slacks. “They suit us perfectly. What do you think about this pocket, though? Is it sewn properly? I need your expert eyes,” Max said adjusted the lining. Audrey inspected the fine, careful work of the seamstress and looked at the detail in question on Max’s tuxedo. As her fingers ran along the seams, she felt something round sticking out from the bottom of the pocket and covered in strange protrusions. She reached in and pulled out a ring unlike anything she had ever seen before. Three large, luminous gems immediately pulled her eye to the middle of the elaborately designed piece, the massive diamond flanked on each side by an equally brilliant sapphire and emerald. “What…is this?” she asked, her voice unsteady. Both men sunk to the floor, each poised on one knee. “Audrey, we know it hasn’t been very long since you came into our lives…” Silas trailed off, clearly searching for the right words. “But we’ve talked about it at length, and Silas and I can’t imagine our lives without you. We want you to be our wife. We want you to stay here in Male Order and help us run and expand our business endeavors. I’m completely confident the menswear line is going to be a huge success. And that’s going to mean a hell of a lot more work for us. We can’t do it without you. And…we can’t live without you either.” Max looked at her with the wildest intensity she had ever seen before, his chestnut eyes turned almost black with desire. A flood of adrenaline rushed through her veins, causing her heart to pulse at a ruthless pace. Marriage? Her? Could she really have everything she wanted without giving up her career? She had spent her whole adulthood raging against the trapped life women were forced to live. But now here stood Max and Silas, two gorgeous and talented businessmen who promised to give her not only their

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unconditional love but also everything she had ever wished for in her career. Silas stood as he told her, “We love you, Audrey. We love your wild, free spirit, your genius and your vision. We’ve always wanted a woman we could share everything with, but we never imagined someone who could come along and show us the future of the store and our business ventures. The world might be shocked, but it’s time a woman like you was in charge.” He had said the perfect thing, everything she wanted and needed to hear from them in that moment. “So you don’t want to lock me up in the kitchen?” she asked, a smile spreading across her face. “We might be tempted to lock you up in the bedroom or in the boardroom. Otherwise, we share everything equally, the three of us,” Max responded as he wrapped his arm around her waist, his eyes never once leaving hers. “We might ask for more bouillabaisse from time to time, though.” “We love you, Audrey. I knew you were right for us from the moment I met you. But I never imagined that you would truly see the potential for massive success with our business. But you believed in us even before you met us,” Silas added, standing behind her, his voice quiet in her ear. “I did, and I do. Yes, I want so much to marry you both. I love you. But I need some time to grow into this. Is that all right with you both?” “Of course, baby,” Silas responded tenderly. “You take as much time as you need.” “Thank you,” she said with a smile as she kissed both of them. “Please just accept the ring, and we can take as long as you need before we go through with it,” Max said, his eyes filled with a tenderness she had never seen in them before.

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She took the ring and slipped it onto her left hand, a perfect fit on her slim finger. It was so damn perfect, she had to fight herself to keep her emotions in check. “It’s too beautiful,” she finally mustered, the tears welling in her eyes. “We’re patient men, Audrey. But we know what we want, and we will have it,” Max said quietly in a gentle but forceful tone. She nodded silently. “I want it too, so very much.” “We’ll leave you alone to try on your ensemble,” Silas said to break the tension between them. “Thank you both. Thank you both for everything,” she replied, admiring the gorgeous ring on her hand. “Thank you, darlin’,” Max responded, his hand brushing her face as he intensely looked her in the eye. As they exited the studio, she slumped down in the chair and sighed deeply. Could she really be the wife of these men? Both of them? She looked down at the ring on her finger, the symbol of their love and commitment. Her heart raced as she tried to imagine their future together. Absurd images sprang to her mind of her on horseback, head to toe in western regalia. Could she really become a Texan? Would the people of Male Order really accept her? The thoughts washed over her as she stripped off her clothes, the cool of the studio air washing over her naked body. As her fingers brushed over the lace of the dress, she decided to move past it for the moment, her lips curling into a smile. She reached only for the cape, carefully untying in from the mannequin’s body and wrapping it carefully around her bare skin. She loved the sensation of the nearly translucent chiffon against her, the feathers barely tickling her arms as the garment draped over her. She walked to the entrance of the studio and opened the door, revealing her naughty redesign meant only for her two lovers.

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Max and Silas’ mouths immediately fell open as she whirled in the doorway, her bare cunt and tits barely exposed beneath the layers of transparent fabric. “What do you think?” she said as she smiled broadly. “This is why you have to be ours forever,” Silas remarked as crossed to her. His hands carefully groped beneath the fabric, his fingers tracing the curves of her body as he leaned down to kiss her. “That’s to be continued,” she insisted, her fingers softly unbuttoning the perfectly tailored, creamy-hued dress shirt he still wore. “Do you know one of the reasons I want to design menswear?” she asked her lovers as Max joined the impromptu party. “Why?” the man in black innocently inquired. “So I can constantly dress and undress the two of you. You’re my inspiration, I hope you know that.” “Mmm,” Max murmured, as he bent to taste her lips. “I like the sound of that.” “How ‘bout we save these fancy duds for later. I think we need to hold a business meeting in the master bedroom. What do you say?” Silas proposed playfully as he carefully untied the cape from around her shoulders, exposing her completely naked body to both her lovers. She nodded silently and then added, “But you have to leave your new formalwear behind. You never know what can happen, especially in Silas’ hands.” The two men obediently stripped and led the way back through the corridors of the house, checking around each corner that the coast was clear and they wouldn’t be surprised by any unknown guests at The Arches. **** When they finally reached the bedroom, the three of them immediately tumbled into bed. The men took turns kissing and

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caressing the perfect curves of Audrey’s body, taking the time to explore all the secret spots they were beginning to learn by heart. Silas loved feeling her body blossom against his, all the little tensions slipping away as her muscles softened against his. She moaned as they passed her back and forth between them, their devouring kisses barely giving her a moment to breathe. As he dipped lower to taste the firm bud of her nipple, she looked him square in the eye, her expression desperate with need. “Please,” she suddenly insisted. “I need the two of you inside me. I’ve waited long enough, and I don’t think I can take it any longer.” Her rough insistence immediately made his cock pulse with need. “Take your time,” Max replied, showering her shoulders with kisses as he held her backside against him. She looked Silas straight in the eye, her starved gaze unmistakable. “Does our lover need to get filled with cock?” he playfully asked as his fingers tested the edges of her slit. “She is soaking wet, Max,” he replied, stunned her body could already be so ready for them. His brother ran his hand against her backside, his fingers dipping to the same sweet spot. “Oh, fuck,” he immediately murmured as he discovered the height of her need. “Please,” she begged again. “I’ve been dreaming of the sensation, craving it so much.” Without hesitating a moment longer, Silas kneeled on the bed, pulling her up with him. His hands wandered the firm cups of her breasts as he leaned closer to her ear. “You’re right. I can’t believe I’ve had to wait this long to take you here,” he whispered, his fingers smoothing over the opening hidden between those two perfect lips. She moaned as he dipped his finger into her cunt and spread the wet heat backwards to her forbidden hole. “Give it to me,” she moaned, her body leaning against his.

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“Yes, ma’am,” Silas promptly replied, gently guiding her hips into position over Max so they could share the ultimate bliss once again. “I don’t think we even need to use anything, she’s so damn wet,” he exclaimed as he spread the dripping moisture from her cunt all over his cock. The sensation alone of her juices spreading over him made him want to explode. Hold it together, Silas. Max groaned as she took his fierce erection in her hand, dipping her hips lower in order to be filled by him. She didn’t hesitate or ask, just instinctually moved into position. “That’s right, baby,” Silas said as he moved in towards her. “Take what you need.” “I always will,” she exclaimed, surrendering to him completely as he carefully pressed into her tight passage. They were finally joined once again, this time having jumped over so many hurdles to find out how to love one another. He leaned into her, holding her firmly as he set the perfect pace towards ecstasy. Everything melted away, and they were just three bodies joined in a perfect union, the ultimate pleasure closing in around them as they moved as one. The glorious moments seemed to slip by, the impending culmination impossible to escape as she tightened around both cocks filling her. As she screamed her rapid, hungry release, the spasms of her pussy caused him to lose track of everything. As she milked his dick for every ounce of pleasure, he collapsed on top of her, unable to take even one more tiny throw of her hips against his. He exploded right then and there, completely lost in the sensations drowning his senses. “This is the way every day should start,” he said with a grin as he collapsed against her, running his hands through her hair. “The way every day will start,” Max corrected him, his breath ragged with excitement. All he wanted in the whole world was to make her theirs.

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Chapter Fifteen “Miss Rousseau,” Max playfully said as he stood outside the bedroom door. “Your chariot awaits you.” He looked at his watch, absentmindedly winding it as he waited for her to respond. “Audrey?” he asked impatiently after several silent moments passed. “What is happening in there? Are you all right?” Silas walked down the hallway, emerging from his dressing room in his tuxedo. Both men had been forced out of the master suite at Audrey’s gentle yet firm insistence that a woman must get ready in solitude for such an occasion. Jazz music wafted down the corridor, drowning all sound coming from inside her secret lair. “She ready?” Silas asked casually as he fastened his cufflinks. “She won’t answer,” Max said, the concern growing inside of him. His younger brother looked at him with a furrowed brow. “Have you tried the door?” “What do you think, dumbass?” Max said, this time pounding the wood with a loud knock. “What do we do? Bust it open? Maybe she’s hurt…” Max didn’t hesitate for a moment further, his heart thumping as he slammed his weight against the door. The entryway opened suddenly before he could get in, a ravishing but furious Audrey standing in the threshold as he practically fell on top of her. “Now what in the hell do you two idiots think you’re doing? Can’t a woman get ready in peace, for chrissakes?”

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The three of them laughed, both men clearly relieved she was safe and feisty as ever. Both Max and Silas took turns hugging her. “You look stunning, Audrey,” Max said as he took in the sight of her from head to toe. Her hair had been carefully styled in tight ringlets, and she wore her signature shade of garnet lipstick. Her eyelids had been painted a smoky grey, and her porcelain skin perfectly complemented her ivory gown and feathered cape. She spun in front of the men as they took in the full extent of her beauty. “You like?” she inquired with a smile. “Too much,” Silas said quietly, his hand gently tracing the curve of the cape at her gorgeous neckline. “I can’t wait to whisk you around on the dance floor. And then get you back home, of course.” “You’ll have to wait your turn, little brother,” Max retorted as he pushed his way closer to Audrey and placed her delicate arm around his. “Now we gotta fly, or we’ll be late! Everyone is waiting for us.” Audrey eagerly complied, the grin quietly spreading across her face as they made their way to the car. **** The moment they walked into the grand ballroom, she felt strangled for breath. Prominent members of the town, all close family friends of Max and Silas, descended upon them. They were all terribly sweet, but intensely eager to meet her. She loved the concept of Texas hospitality, but it sure felt suffocating as it came at her in ruthless, never-ending surges. Her smile frozen wide on her face, her heart pounded as she met person after eager person, family after family. She needed a breath, a chance to be alone for a moment to gather her wits. Could she really handle all of this? Be the perfect wife to the perfect husbands, run an internationally renowned business and continue to produce a new line for each season? Her head was swimming as she looked down at the gorgeous object now wrapping much of her left ring finger.

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This all happened so fast. Her thoughts spun wildly as she found the door for the balcony. Fresh air and solitude. They’ll barely know I stepped out of the ballroom. They’re so busy greeting the other families, a moment away won’t matter at all. She wrapped the silky fabric of her cape tightly around her shoulders and opened the doors to one of the three balconies she’d spotted while entering the grand building. The quiet and darkness of the large veranda soothed the anxiety that seemed to be eating her from the inside out. She shut the large French doors and stepped towards the edge to take in the luxurious silence of the private space. She pulled her small jeweled cigarette case from her clutch and fingered the contents. She hadn’t felt the desire to smoke since she arrived in Texas, although now seemed like the perfect moment for the indulgence. With all the plans and expectations spinning around her, she needed something to calm her down and give her a moment to reflect. She groped for matches inside her clutch purse, hungry for calming taste of tobacco in her mouth. “Do you need a light, my dear?” a baritone voice murmured from the darkness behind her. Despite the innocent tone, Audrey recognized the speaker immediately and cringed. Her pulse exploded right away, the erratic pounding of fear ringing loud in her ears. She took a deep breath as he emerged from the shadows, dressed immaculately in an all white suit of her own design. “I’ve been waiting for you, darling. You must have known I would be here, didn’t you? After what happened the other day?” Aleksandr said as he slowly stepped towards her. As the moon emerged from the clouds, the light illuminated his contorted features as he clearly tried to control his expression. His platinum blond hair had become streaked with grey and white in the months since she had seen him, and the lines around his cobalt blue eyes were now deeply etched into his face. The man looked stripped of all color, of all life. It was as if he was barely breathing at all.

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“I knew you would find me, Sasha, but I haven’t exactly been missing you, if that’s what you’re asking,” Audrey finally responded, mustering up all the courage she had in a bluff of confidence and control. “Come now, devotchka moya, there’s no reason for cruelty.” The repugnant sound of his Russian nickname for her sounded thick and furious in his throat. “I’m no one’s little girl, Sasha Michaelovitch. Haven’t you learned by now that no one controls me?” As the calm words flowed from her mouth, she leaned against the railing, her fingers carefully exploring the inside of her clutch purse behind her. It’s here somewhere. I know I didn’t leave it behind. “You seem awfully cozy with those despicable Abrams brothers. How could you stoop to such a level, devotchka? Two dirty American cowboys living in the middle of nowhere? I gave you everything. You would be nothing without me. And this is what I receive in return, having to follow you to the ends of the earth to find you? And you immediately fall into their bed without a question or a doubt? I will not endure the humiliation, Audrey. I won’t.” As he stepped closer and closer to her, Audrey pressed against the railing of the balcony. There was nowhere for her to go except down four stories onto the pavement below. Her hand clung to her only defense mechanism—the tiny hunting knife she carried with her since she’d left New York. She thumbed the smooth bone of the handle, her hand still wrapped behind her and buried in her purse. “I’m not afraid of you, Sasha. I am not your slave, your lover or your friend. I want you out of my life forever, do you understand?” To emphasize her conviction, she pointed her trembling hand directly at him, her fingers threatening him with every ounce of power she had inside of her. Aleksandr’s eyes traveled downward, and his eyes bulged as he fixated on the enormous piece of jewelry resting on her left ring finger.

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“What is this?” he asked, grabbing her by the hand to take a closer look. She stared him straight in the eye as she pulled the knife from behind her back. He was barely an inch from her face, his eyes glassed over with rage as he painfully twisted her left hand in his. She snapped the knife open in one swift motion, holding the sharp tip of the blade to his jugular vein. “You couldn’t do it, devotchka,” Aleksandr said, his heavy breath on her face. “What would you be without me? I made you. And I can just as easily break you, my dear little orphan child.” “I will do it, Sasha. No one would miss you, no one in the entire world.” Her threat was enough to push him over the edge. He twisted her left hand with a rough, explosive motion, the sharp eruption of pain immediately spreading in her wrist as she heard the horrific sound of her own bones snapping. She instinctively dropped the knife, her last defense falling to the balcony floor. As he pulled her toward him, she fought his hold with every ounce of strength in her body. She felt her disgust for him detonate inside her, her scream bursting from deep in her gut as he wrapped one arm tightly around her. He grabbed for the fallen knife and retrieved it within moments, the sharp tip of the blade finding its way to the soft tissue of her neck before she managed to take a breath. He quickly silenced her with the threat of the weapon and a silent order emanating from his eyes. “I have nothing to lose, Audrey. Nothing in the world I care for. And I think someone needs to learn a lesson about gratitude, wouldn’t you say, ma cheri?” With his threat hanging in the air, he pulled her even closer to his body and roughly kissed her mouth, the residue of his heavy taste leaving a thick, putrid taste on her lips. “Casse-toi, Sasha,” she defiantly said with a smile. She liked how it felt to tell him to fuck off. With every ounce of strength left inside

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her, she pushed herself towards the edge of the balcony. She’d rather fall four stories to her death than linger with this bastard, allowing him to threaten and touch her. The taste of him on her tongue made her body fill with a rage she had never previously experienced. As she pushed against him, he struggled right back. “If I can’t have you, no one else will,” he gruffly said in her ear. She realized then he wasn’t attempting to simply push her over the edge. He wanted them to die together. Could there be any worse fate than to die in this man’s arms? The sudden fight that rose from deep inside of her caused him to lose his balance and he dropped the knife with a clatter. As she scrambled for the weapon, he seized the opportunity and flung their entangled mass toward the edge of the balcony. Is this it? Audrey couldn’t help but wonder if this was really how her life would end. As they hurtled over the railing, images of her two lovers flooded her vision. Her whole body seemed to tell her she couldn’t die. She had to hold on. As the momentum of their entangled bodies slipped over the edge of the railing, the words rang in her ears. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. It seemed to echo on inside her, and she felt her arms flailing, desperate to find something solid beneath her. She caught the edge of the balcony’s railing, her hands gripping onto cool metal just moments before it was too late. Every part of her gripped that reassuring hardness beneath her fingertips, even as she realized that Sasha miraculously continued hanging onto her, barely clinging to the fabric of her torn dress as he seemingly balanced in thin air. For a split second, he looked up at her as she realized the horrific scenario, his face a mask of bizarre and twisted delight. As the final piece of lace ripped from the fabric of her gown, she swore she heard him laughing as he fell to the ground. Landing in a crumpled heap

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beneath her, she wondered if she, too, would be found that way tonight. **** “Did you check the bathrooms, Silas?” Max asked frantically. “Of course I did. She’s nowhere. She must have left while we were in the receiving line. We got separated somehow. She said something about needing a moment alone and then she disappeared into thin air.” Something is wrong. He could taste it in his mouth. She wouldn’t just disappear like this, especially when they’d all been on edge since her accident. Could she left have them? Was it all too much, too fast? Silas stared at the ballroom floor, where the people of Male Order he knew so well, had grown up with, had begun to dance the traditional waltzes that began every Cotillion since the town’s founding. His eyes scanned the room for her, the image of her in the ravishing white dress and feathered cape playing over and over again in his mind. As his thoughts wandered, he snapped back to attention as the shadow of two figures appeared to him through the curtained door of the farthest balcony. Audrey. Without a second thought, he pushed his way right through the undulating waves of dancers moving fluidly across the floor. The music deafened the nonsensical sounds escaping his mouth as he flung open the door to the verandah, terrified to see what lay on the other side. As the cool evening breeze flooded in, he was stunned to find the balcony empty. As he raced to the edge, the disorienting sound of Audrey’s screams filled the air. He looked down to see her clinging to the very edge of the balcony by her fingertips, her mouth contorted with panic. She stared up at him, the fear like a mask on her face. He leaped into action, managing to grasp onto her forearms.

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“Baby, are you all right?” he somehow managed to ask. “Silas! Thank God you’re here!” Her eyes were wide with terror. The sound of a familiar voice calling his name behind them helped Silas breathe again. Max arrived just in time. Silas hung over the edge, desperately trying to save Audrey from the four-story fall to the ground beneath them. The weight of her body was proving to be too much for Silas alone, and he knew he could never save Audrey by himself. Max ran to them, immediately grabbing onto Silas’ legs just as he began to slip over the edge with her. **** With every ounce of his strength, Max clung to the only two people in his life who mattered to him. He pulled until Silas was able to regain his footing, and together they pulled Audrey back onto the balcony. The shock of whatever happened had clearly overtaken her, her blank stare a cold tableau revealing nothing about how she had managed to go from standing by their side just minutes before to dangling in thin air on the brink of death. “Audrey,” Silas said, desperately taking her face in his hands. “What happened? Talk to us, baby!” She looked at both of them, her eyes welling with tears. “My dress…it’s ruined,” she finally managed, the droplets streaming down her face silently. “It’s all ruined.” Max put his arms around her firmly. “You’re all right. Thank god, Audrey. Thank god, you’re safe. For a moment I thought…” “It’s ok,” she whispered in his ear. “It’s over. He’s dead.”

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Chapter Sixteen After several weeks of recovery, Audrey finally began to desire creating and working again, the only way she knew how to really heal after the horrific night on the balcony. She knew if she poured herself into her work, she could make peace with the past and connect more deeply with the wild reality of her new life with Max and Silas. She needed a grand introduction to their world on her own terms, a memorable bash no one would soon forget. Male Order, Dallas, and America, for that matter, would love her on her own terms. They would embrace her unique vision and way of life, even if it took a little time to take hold. As Audrey’s wrist mended, she spent from the break of dawn into the late evening working with Max and Silas on preparing for the event of her own creation. The “Fashion Fete,” as she named it, would be the unforgettable occasion at Jacqueline’s where she would reveal her new menswear line to the elite masses of Dallas shoppers. The brothers worked tirelessly as her faithful assistants and collaborators, furiously making her dreams for the new line a reality. Without asking her, her two mischievous lovers began recruiting the other men of Male Order to serve as models for the show. One by one, all of their closest friends began arriving at the studios, ready for their fitting. Audrey quickly learned that the men of her adopted home town shared two things in common—they were all gorgeous, and they all loved to share one very lucky lady. Of all her models, only the kind-hearted Doctor Kingston lacked a ring on his finger. After barely getting to really know anyone in so many years, the company of her neighbors felt amazing. In Paris, she had to constantly

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watch what was being said about her or how people were trying to take advantage of her. The world couldn’t have felt more different. The wives of her models began stopping by, eager to know when Audrey would begin making her various women’s lines available at the store. They had a million questions for her, and for the first time in as long as she could remember, she enjoyed the attention. There was no more living in fear and nothing keeping Audrey from opening herself up to people. She had always heard about how friendly Texans were, but she couldn’t believe the kindness of the families since the night of the accident. She dove into this new community and was amazed by how quickly she got to know everyone. Even the brothers’ young assistant, Katherine, seemed to thrive in Audrey’s presence, easily picking up new skills and techniques as she was trained to make a totally different kind of clothes than she had ever seen before in real life. The best part about Audrey’s collaborations with Max and Silas were the endless hours they spent batting around ideas and creating as if the three of them shared one creative spirit. As the mid-autumn sun set, all visitors and assistants left the three of them alone to brainstorm and compare notes in delicious solitude. Sometimes it would be just her and one or both of the brothers, working in silence on their own creations. Tonight it was Silas who was elected to go and check on things at the work stables. The cool of the evening caused Audrey to reach for the nearest cozy sweater, another of Max’s cashmere cardigans that stretched nearly to her knees. She wrapped it around her as she tore out a crooked seam on her latest suit. “You chilly, darlin’?” Max said as he looked up from his drawing table. “A little bit. Hope you don’t mind. Just need a little comfort while I battle my sloppy sewing skills.” “You know you’re not supposed to be doing that yet, don’t you?”

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She silently rolled her eyes and grinned. “Yep,” she replied with a touch of sass as she returned to her work. “You know we have multiple assistants and a room full of sewing machines, right?” he continued. “Mmm hmm,” she murmured, unmoved by his offer. She liked doing things the old-fashioned way. “C’mere, Mrs. Abrams,” Max insisted, setting down his pencil. “Who’s that? I don’t know anyone by that name here,” she said with a smirk. He gave her a look that immediately silenced her, his chestnut eyes hot with desire. “You’ll be my bride soon enough, Audrey Rousseau. Now get your saucy ass over here and take a break for a minute,” he insisted. She complied silently, glad to oblige the sexy, desirous man she finally got to see alone. “I want to show you something,” Max murmured as he seated her on his lap and opened a large leather sleeve he used to keep his newest designs under wraps. Despite her endless hours working side by side with him, he somehow managed to work longer and harder than anyone she’d ever known. “What is this? Do you ever sleep?” she asked as he carefully pulled a set of drawings out onto his special drawing table. He absentmindedly kissed her on the head as he pulled her closer to him and let her examine his plans. Spread before her were drawings of the department store, but it was doubled in size, with an entire separate wing clearly marked for menswear. “I had my doubts about it, Audrey, but I can see now what a success we’re going to be with you at the helm. People might laugh right now, but in ten years people will look at our stores and realize how far ahead of the curve we were,” Max murmured as Audrey examined his careful drawings. “And how far we’ll continue to be,” she added with a smile. “It won’t stop with menswear. We’ll do high end ready-to-wear apparel

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alongside the wildest and most beautiful luxury haute couture. Perfume, jewelry, you name it. It will be ours. You will design stores across America that are both cutting edge and beautiful, places where every kind of person can and will shop.” “Ah, yes. I forgot. Guess I better get to work, then,” Max replied with a warm smile. As she laid out her master plan to him, Max began to slowly rub his hands up and down her torso, letting his fingers wander over the soft fabric of the warm sweater she had donned. The wintery chill of the night air had leaked into the studio, and she shivered as he exposed her bare flesh to the coolness of the room. “I love when you talk about business, baby,” he said as he pulled the cloth away from her shoulder and slowly ran his tongue down the distance of her neck. She felt the hard length of his cock through the layers of fabric separating her soft flesh from the firm muscle of his body. The feel of his erection against her ass as she sat across his lap instantly made her wet with arousal for him. He ran his fingers through her hair while consuming the tops of her breasts with feverish kisses as she rhythmically rubbed her backside against his hard shaft. His hands explored the rest of her, roughly pushing away the garment and forcing his rough palms beneath the cloth separating them. She leaned back into him as the pleasure of his movements consumed every thought, leaving behind the slow rhythm of their quiet gestures. Suddenly the door of the studio opened, and the surprise of the moment led Audrey to desperately attempt to cover herself. The relief spread through her when Silas walked through the door, the only other person she wished to see at the moment. After days of nonstop work and socializing, she relished the idea of having an intimate evening at home with both her men. “What in the hell happened to you?” Max said as Silas came into the room, filthy from head to toe.

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“Are you ok? We were wondering when you’d be home,” Audrey added, the worry momentarily breaking the calm she had felt just moments before. “I’m fine, you two. Great, actually. Lucy finally gave birth to a gorgeous little filly,” Silas said, the grin spreading across his face. “Oh, thank goodness,” she replied, the relief spreading through her immediately. He sauntered into the room, his heavy boots leaving dark footprints across the floor. His coat dripped from the autumn rainstorm, and mud streaked his face and fair hair. “Silas! You’re making a mess!” Audrey exclaimed, jumping off Max’s lap to prevent him from getting any closer to the precious drawings sitting on the desk. One streak of mud and hours of hard labor would have to be repeated. “Oh, yeah? And who’s going to stop me?” Silas replied, roughly grabbing her in his dirty hands and immediately pulling her half-open sweater and flimsy camisole to the floor. Silas pulled her now nearly nude body into him, letting the dirt smear across her ivory skin. “Damn you, Silas Abrams,” she shrieked, trying to pull away as he tickled her with his grimy hands. She struggled against him, wriggling in every direction as he tortured her with light touches all over her body. “Since you’re dirty now too, how ‘bout we both go and get clean together? I swear I’ll make up for the mess I made.” The sensation of his breath in her ear along with the thought of his hands soaping her from head to toe made her cunt immediately soak with the promise of what was to come. Audrey turned around and stared back at Max, still seated in the chair and watching her. “Will you help clean up your brother’s mess, Maxwell?” The idea of both brothers scrubbing her down in their massive tub immediately had a delicious ache filling her from head to toe. Max silently complied with her request, following her to the door with a sly smile consuming his face.

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The three of them shut off the lights and locked up the workspace. As Max closed the door, he looked at them and offered a mischievous dare. “Race ya’ll to the bedroom,” he shouted as he took off down the hallway, stripping off each article of clothing he had been wearing. Silas and Audrey immediately followed suit, the sound of the three lovers’ laughter ringing through every corner of the house. When they made it into the bathroom, Max had already begun to draw a bath for the three of them, the hot water rapidly pouring into the tub. She couldn’t help but watch as he readied the tub naked, the muscled planes of his back and ass on display as he placed all the necessities in easy reach of the water. “Add some flakes, will you, baby?” Audrey asked as she attempted to regain her breath after their competition. “Gladly.” Max happily obliged, grabbing her naked waist close to him as he reached above her to grab the soap box from a tall shelf. As he poured the contents into the steaming water, the bath began to froth with a decadent layer of thick bubbles. Silas approached her from behind, his coarse hands roughly pulling her ass into his torso. His erection seemed to grow by the moment as he rubbed her bare behind against his cock and thighs. “Silas Abrams, get your butt in that tub this minute. I will not have a mud-covered Neanderthal poking at me with his oversized dick. I am a lady, in case you’ve forgotten,” she teased as she pushed her way out of his strong arms. “Yes, ma’am,” he said with a grin. “You don’t have to tell me twice, as long as you’ll help me become more presentable to a delicate lass such as yourself.” He stepped into the tub and extended his hand to her for assistance. “That’s more like it. The southern gentleman at his best,” she said as the two of them simultaneously sunk into the water beneath them. Max stepped into the suds, and Audrey couldn’t help but gawk at the

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gorgeous man standing above her. He seemed to be made of nothing but streamlined muscle and sinew, the hard lines of his body towered endlessly above her. He kneeled down to meet her gaze, and she immediately responded by wrapping her hands around his neck and kissing him gently on the mouth. “I am one lucky lady,” she said as she let her hands wander down his taut frame. “We’re the lucky ones, Audrey,” Silas said as he joined them. He, too, was a sight for sore eyes, a slenderer, more graceful version of his brother. Once he’d sat down, he let his fingers wander the gentle curve of her back, his hands painting her with foam. He leaned in close to her, running his fingers through her hair. “C’mere, baby. I want to wash your hair.” She happily obliged, dipping her head into the still running faucet as Silas soaped up his hands in preparation. They floated towards the center of the massive tub as Max reclined and watched them, a peaceful look on his face. Silas leaned against the far edge, pulling her against him as he began to rigorously massage her scalp. The soap from his careful scrubbing quickly started to drip down her shoulders and breasts and into the water as he massaged his fingertips from the nape of her neck to the top of her forehead. She giggled as he formed her soapy hair into wild shapes and spikes on top of her head. “This would be a good look for you,” he joked as he completed his wild creation and then gently bent her head down to the faucet to rinse the thick clouds of soap from her locks. Max pushed his way towards them, clearly sick of being a passive viewer. After she reemerged from under the running water, he pulled her into his arms and consumed her mouth feverishly. His mouth wandered down her neck as both hands reached for the rigid peaks of her breasts. He took one nipple in his mouth and let his teeth and tongue explore the delicate ridge until she felt ready to combust. He opened

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her legs and pulled her onto his lap, his hands stroking the arch of her back as he continued torturing her with his mouth. Audrey straddled his hips as she leaned back and let the mixture of hot water and pleasure overwhelm her senses. As he wrapped her legs around him, the edge of his rigid cock brushed against her clit, and the sensation immediately caused her to writhe with need for both of them. “I have to be inside you, Audrey,” Max whispered in her ear as he simultaneously tortured the two most sensitive sites on her body with the tip of his cock against her pussy and the masterful flicks of his tongue at her breast. She moaned as the vibrations of his words radiated through every part of her. Silas closed in around her backside, his hands alternating with Max’s as he explored every inch of her dripping skin. “Am I clean enough yet, baby? I need an inspection before we move this party to the bedroom.” “My pleasure,” she managed to utter as she turned to examine the smooth tan flesh. She pushed both of his muscled arms above his head and left a trail of soap behind as her palms smoothed over the hard curves of his upper body. She gathered more bubbles and let more suds wander down the firm gorgeous lines of his abdomen and over the v-shape of the muscles clustered at his hips. “Excellent work, Mr. Abrams, if I do say so myself,” she finally said after examining every part of his gorgeous frame. “Will you rinse me off now that you’ve passed my test?” “There is nothing I would enjoy more, my dear,” Silas said as he stood in the tub and reached for her hand. He took the handheld shower and carefully doused her in water, letting the suds covering every inch of her roll down her body. He and Max took turns rinsing, and the three of them watched each other as they wrapped themselves in terrycloth. The warmth of the bath clung to Audrey, her damp skin radiating with heat as they silently made their way towards the bedroom.

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Silas immediately dropped his towel to the floor and pulled back the quilts and sheets, eagerly preparing the luxurious bed for the pleasure all three lovers knew would be following. The three of them climbed in together, each man devouring every part of her feverishly. They quickly fell into a frenzied pace with each other, the rhythm of their pleasure mounting as their clean, nude bodies settled into the softness beneath them. “I have to taste you,” Max growled as he gave her a firm tap on the ass. “And then I’m going to give you that spanking I’ve been promising you.” “But…” she said, attempting to protest. “Don’t even try to argue with me on this, darlin’. Now that you’re finally well, you have no excuse you can offer me. But first I have to have this cunt in my mouth.” Max lifted her legs onto his broad shoulders, his tongue ruthlessly exploring her folds before she had a moment to protest. The pleasure poured through her as his tastes alternated with firm smacks to her ass. He was clearly a master at delivering his delicious punishment, firmly tapping her behind and then spreading the heat of his hand down into the soaking folds of her throbbing pussy. He would let the pain radiate through her and then immediately return his tongue and lips to the ultimate source of her pleasure. Silas kissed her ravenously as her whole body struggled against exploding into a never-ending series of orgasms. “Please,” she screamed, gasping for air. “I need you both inside me. Now.” This was not a request, it was a necessity. An imperative need for both of them spread through every inch of her. “Yes, ma’am.” Silas obliged as he kneeled above her, his azure eyes filled with adoration and hunger. “Don’t even begin to think this is over, darlin’. This was just the beginning.” Max was clearly trying to sound tough, but his raging cock revealed the need inside him. Her tongue took a swipe at his gorgeous prick, a taste she couldn’t resist as it glistened with a drop of

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cum. His eyes nearly rolled back with pleasure as he lay down and pulled her hips over his. “Take it, Audrey. Take what’s yours,” he said, grabbing her hand and forcing it onto his massive erection. Without a moment’s hesitation, she firmly held him in place as she enveloped him inch by inch. After the initial shock of their union, she slowly began to pulse up and down around him, the sensation immediately causing both of them to moan with pleasure at the perfection of their union. Just as she had begun to lose herself to the moment, Silas silently closed in on her backside. He turned her face towards his and kissed her tenderly as she continued to rock up and down in rhythm with Max. “I’m ready,” she whispered to him as she felt him against the tender crevice of her ass. He groaned the moment he heard the words, and reached for the tin beside the bed filled with the slick stuff that eased his entrance. Silas hesitated for a brief moment, smoothing both hands over her backside after he’d prepared his enormous cock for what was yet to come. “Please,” she heard herself beg softly as he tortured her with the wait. Without pausing one second more, he entered her fully, the sensation causing all three of them to simultaneously groan with the ecstasy of the moment. She fell forwards against Max’s chest, the pleasure immediately enveloping every one of her senses. Silas firmly held her around the waist as the men developed a building pace, each thrust building on the last as Audrey began to lose control of herself. The heat of their bodies moving in perfect cadence pushed her over the edge of what her body could handle. “I can’t take it anymore,” she screamed. “Come for us, darlin’,” Max roared as she felt him on the verge of his own climax.

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“No,” she moaned insistently. “I never want this to end.” She tried her damnedest to put off the waves of pleasure tumbling through every part of her, but she knew it was impossible to wait. The humming escalated inside Audrey until it broke over her in a burst of sheer ecstasy, the forceful rush of her orgasm consuming her body in relentless swells. As she came, both men seemed to lose themselves in the overwhelming power of the moment, Silas and Max immediately letting go of all control as Audrey’s body shivered over and over again with pleasure. Just as the waves of sensation had begun to slow, the feeling of both her lovers’ cocks on the verge of explosion caused her body to erupt all over again. “Oh, fuck,” Max managed to utter as she felt him detonate deep inside of her. Silas merely groaned, the words clearly escaping him as he let his body fall over Audrey’s. Implanted deep inside of her, she felt every inch of him let go, the feeling of their synchronized orgasms proving too much for even this workhorse of a man. The three of them writhed in the perfection of the moment, their burning bodies breathlessly attempting to recover from the wild experience they had just shared. After several more silent, peaceful minutes, the lovers disentangled themselves, Max and Silas flanking Audrey in the massive bed. “I don’t want this night to be over,” she murmured as both men wrapped their arms around her. “It doesn’t have to be, baby,” Silas said as he brushed her hair away from her eyes. “Oh, really, Silas Abrams. And what should we do with the rest of the evening, then?” Max chimed in then, clearly trying to gather his courage to say something. “We’ve been doing some planning, Audrey. We wanted it to be a surprise, but this time we thought we’d ask your permission first. Will you come to New Orleans and elope with us?”

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She was speechless, her heart pounding as the realization of it all washed over her. “We’ve already booked the hotel and made all the arrangements,” Silas added. “All you have to do is pack a bag.” “What are we waiting for, then? It appears I have a lot of packing to do.” The three of them grinned at one another as they leaped out of bed, eager to prepare for the memorable journey ahead. “I love you both so much,” Audrey said quietly as the three of them looked at each other, their naked bodies still recovering from the pleasure of the night. Each man took turns embracing her, the love for her radiating in their eyes. “I can’t wait for you to be our wife, baby,” Silas said as he kissed her on the forehead. “I won’t wait for you to be our wife,” Max teased as he gave her a firm tap on the ass. “Now start packing so we get to New Orleans by day break!” She smiled to herself as she planned her impromptu wardrobe for all the unknown adventures ahead. Life would never be boring with these two, that was for damn sure. She couldn’t wait to get started on spending the rest of their lives together.

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Epilogue Audrey opened her eyes as they finally untied the blindfold and let her take in the scene. She had already smelled the ocean air and heard the gulls as they emerged from Silas’ plane. She immediately soaked in the warmth of the sun hitting her bare shoulders as they walked down an unfamiliar street in a place she couldn’t recognize. The flight was the longest the three of them had taken together, lasting several hours after they departed New Orleans. Despite the engine sounds, she had immediately fallen asleep after taking off, the dull roar of the machine in flight lulling her into a peaceful rest. As they emerged from the plane, she attempted to gain her bearings after the long journey, but was unable to figure anything out without her sense of sight. As they continued walking in silence, all she could gather was their proximity to the sea. When she was finally freed of the dark mask, the blinding azure blue of the water all around her filled her vision. “Where are we? I must know!” “We’re in Miami, darlin’,” Max finally said as they approached a long dock. Standing in front of her were a line of the most elaborate yachts she had ever seen, the most handsome of which stood right in front of her. Clearly embossed on the side of the fine ship was its name—the SS Rousseau. “We thought now that you’re an Abrams we’d give you something to honor your maiden name,” Silas joked as she gazed at the beautiful vessel.

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“Who said I was taking your name? Just because we’re married doesn’t mean I have to,” Audrey teased in response. “Hmm, we’ll see about that,” Max replied. “So, what do you think?” “It’s…” Audrey was at a loss for words. It was all too wild to comprehend. “It’s too much. You bought this for me?” “We started designing it three years ago as a distraction to the pain we were both feeling. It took this long to build it, but the timing couldn’t be more perfect,” Silas explained. “We’ve been wanting this for a long time, and this was the best possible reason to finally finish it. So what do you say we take our honeymoon to Havana?” “Havana? Really? I’ve heard so much about it.” “It’s wild, Audrey,” Silas replied. “You’ll love it. It’s like paradise on earth. The sand is made of crushed diamonds, the water is pure aquamarine…” Both brothers helped her step aboard the luxurious ship, immediately eager to give her a tour of their unique creation. Max showcased the interior of his design proudly, explaining each detail and space. “It feels just like home,” Audrey said as they entered the elaborate yet comfortable dining room. They wandered from room to room, through several lounges filled with lavish areas for rest and relaxation, a music room complete with a grand piano, and a room just for playing cards. “Soon, once you’re fully settled in Male Order, we’ll bring the boat back to Galveston and have a group of our friends and family on here. Rousseau can accommodate twenty guests onboard if we like. Although we might want to keep this a secret from everyone in town until we get nice and comfortable here.” She looked at Max for a long moment, imagining all the future had in store for the three of them. “The children are going to love it,” he added quietly. She blushed deeply, the future’s possibility seeming endlessly filled with promise.

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“Audrey, I want to show you something,” Silas said as they reemerged onto the deck by the elaborate swimming pool. He grabbed her hand and led her to the bow of the ship and up a ladder into the control room. “The SS Rousseau can reach a speed of fifteen knots with her quadruple steam expansion engine, but it’s almost silent too, once she’s out on the water. It’s a modern feat I’ve been trying to achieve for years.” He continued giving her a tour of the seemingly endless knobs and dials until he looked up at her and smiled. “Is this interesting to you? I’m sorry. I just can’t believe all of this is real.” “You mean the yacht? Or…” “The yacht, sure. But I meant us. I meant you,” he replied, playfully pushing her backwards onto a control panel and kissing her roughly. “It’s all real, Mr. Abrams. I will love you always, as long as you promise never to tear another article of my clothing again. Then you know you’ll be in trouble,” she said as she pushed his hands away from fingering the buttons of her dress. “That sounds like a dare, Mrs. Abrams.” Max stuck his head in the entranceway of the room and joined them as Silas prepared the ship for departure. “What am I missing in here, you two?” he inquired as he stepped towards Audrey and pulled her petite frame into his arms. “We’re nearly ready to leave shore. Is everything ready, Max?” Silas asked as he finished his preparations. “I’ve never been more ready in my life,” Max quietly responded as he lifted her mouth to meet his lips. As the ship pulled away from the dock, Audrey opened the glass doors at the front of the control room and stood at the edge of the bow on its tiny, open air upper deck. She took in a deep breath, the ocean breeze filling her lungs as the land disappeared behind them.

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Silas called to her as she closed her eyes, letting the sun pour through her. “Mrs. Abrams, it’s time for you to take the wheel.” “Gladly,” she replied. She stepped inside, two sets of eyes intensely watching her as she grabbed the reins of their ship and steered them on the proper course. “Next stop, paradise,” Silas said with a grin as both men stood by her, taking in the sight of nothing but clear waters ahead.

THE END

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