His Grace, The Duke: Second Sons Book Two
His Grace, The Duke: Chapter 64

James followed Burke back to his room. No one noticed them moving through the dark of the house, for it was late now, long after midnight. He stepped into Burke’s bedroom, looking around. He rarely ever came in here. It was simply furnished, with little touches of Burke everywhere. The only light came from the half-dying fire.

“Lock the door,” Burke muttered, tossing his outer clothes on the back of a chair. Like James, he was dressed only in his white muslin shirt and black dress pants. Both men had their sleeves rolled up and their collars open.

James turned the latch, locking them both inside. He stilled, one hand on the door, as he heard it. A faint, moan. He spun around, eyes narrowed on Burke, who flashed him a weak smile.

“Do you want to wait until they’re finished?”

A mix of emotions surged through James all at once—jealousy, need, hunger, curiosity. They swirled like a hurricane, and he stood at the center. He took a steadying breath. “Fuck waiting.” He moved purposefully towards the other door and pushed it open without knocking.

With a soft chuckle, Burke followed.

Rosalie’s fire was blazing strong, with candles lit for extra light. James stepped past the curtained bed post, his eyes searching, settling on his quarry. Rosalie was naked in bed with Renley, wrapped in his arms. They were both lying on their sides, her right leg slung over his hip. His hand framed her rounded arse, holding her hips tight against him as he fucked her with slow, easy strokes. With the sheets tangled around their legs, their bodies danced with golden firelight, the heavy shadows playing off their movements as they kissed, whispering lovers’ words.

Rosalie’s back was to them, and Renley barely noticed the opening door. Clearly, he was unfazed by the idea that Burke might enter. That fact alone had jealousy and want surging inside James, cresting like an angry wave. Christ, how practiced were they at this already? How much had he missed by being such an unyielding arse?

Renley met his gaze and cursed. “Fucking hell, James.”

Rosalie glanced over her shoulder, gasping as she saw him standing next to Burke.

“Don’t stop on my account,” he muttered, his eyes hungrily taking them in. She was so beautiful. They were beautiful together. Rosalie looked at him warily. She was right to be confused. He’d behaved so abominably. If she never forgave him, he’d understand.

Burke stepped in close behind him, one hand curling around his waist. “You heard James. Our girl is needy, Tom. Finish her.”

Rosalie whimpered as Renley kissed her neck. “Do you want them to watch, Rose? Shall we drive them mad with longing for you?”

She whined again, her hips moving with his as she buried her face against his tattooed chest.

Renley glanced over her shoulder at them. “James can look, but he can’t touch. He deserves to watch you come on another man’s cock.”

James stood at the side of the bed, his own cock growing harder by the second as he watched them together.

Suddenly, Renley pulled out of her. James spied his thick length wrapped in a French letter. James hadn’t even thought of it in the opera box. Too lost to his lust. Rosalie protested, but Renley slung her leg off his hip. “Roll over, sweet girl,” he murmured. “I want him to see all of you.”

She moaned as Renley rolled her. She had nowhere to look but directly at him as Renley shifted her hips, lifting her leg slightly so he could sink back inside her from behind. At this angle, James watched Renley’s cock slide into her sweet cunt. He wanted to die as the firelight danced, highlighting the glistening desire between her thighs. His heart hammered as he remembered the feel of her—the warmth, the wetness, the silky-smooth perfection of her sex. He wanted to taste it again, bury himself there and never leave.

She clung to Renley’s hip with one hand as he thrust into her over and over. The movement arched her back, bouncing her perfect tits as he got rougher, chasing his release. “Oh god,” she whined, her eyes locked on James.

Burke stepped close behind him. James could feel his hard cock pressing against his hip. “How does he feel, love?” Burke murmured, his breath fanning over James’ ear.

“So good.” She threw her head back against Renley’s chest. “I feel him everywhere.”

Burke smiled. “How close are you?”

“So close—ah—” She let out a little cry as Renley tweaked her nipple with his free hand.

He hummed with pleasure, his face pressed against the curve of her neck. “You’re so tight, Rose. So beautiful. Look how they both want you. Three men desperate for you. Want to please you, make you come, worship you body and soul.”

“I want them too—ah—” Her words were cut short as Renley snaked his hand between her legs, his fingers working her sensitive bud. Her response was immediate, her lips parting in a silent cry as she went rigid. She was right on the edge, coiling tighter. James could see it in her eyes.

Burke let out a low laugh. “Did you hear him, James? Tom says you can’t touch her…but you’re welcome to touch me. Perhaps that will be incentive enough for them both to come.”

With a growl, James turned, tugging Burke to him as he pressed a kiss to his lips, teasing his mouth open with his tongue. Burke sank into the kiss, dropping a hand to cup James’ painfully hard cock.

“Holy shit,” Renley rasped.

Desperate for more, James jerked off Burke’s shirt and tossed it aside. He slid his hands across the smooth plane of his chest, shivering with want as Burke pulled him closer. Burke hummed low in his throat, tracing a line with his finger up James’ neck before licking it with his eager tongue. James groaned, his hands fisting in Burke’s hair.

“Oh god, I can’t—” Rosalie came, her body coiling forward in a series of spasms. Behind her Renley grunted, thrusting hard twice more before he spilled into his letter. They both trembled with their releases.

Burke smiled, nuzzling James’ neck, teasing with a nip of his ear. “See what you’ve been missing, my lord?”

James growled, trying to shove him off, but Burke held fast to him.

“This is the only thing that matters,” he pressed, his breath warm against his ear as he soothed a hand down James’ arm. “This is the only truth we need, right here in this room.”

James watched as Renley curled around Rosalie, smoothing back her hair from her face. She was trembling, her face pressed against the pillow. Her dark hair fanned out behind her. She nodded at whatever he said. It was too low for James to hear. Then Renley was sliding out of her, rolling away to discard the used letter. He sat up, his back turned to them, cleaning himself up.

“Tom, let’s give them a minute,” Burke said, his hand still on James’ shoulder.

Rosalie lifted her head slightly, eyes blinking open as she glanced from Burke to James.

Renley stood from the bed, shrugging himself into his shirt. It was long enough to cover his bare arse. He turned back to Rosalie, sinking one knee on the bed as he leaned over her. “Do you want me to stay?”

She bit her bottom lip nervously, but shook her head, her eyes still on James.

Renley kissed her temple, tugging the sheet up over her. James watched how she relaxed, holding the sheet to her naked breasts as she sat up. Tenderness bloomed in his heart for Renley, noting how he cared for her, anticipating her needs before she could voice them.

Renley stepped around the end of the bed, a question in his eyes as he looked from Burke to James.

“Come on, Tom,” Burke said, stepping back.

Renley went to move around him, but James curled an arm around his arm. “Wait.”

Renley met his gaze, his blue eyes calm and clear.

James lifted his chin. He had to know. It was one thing for Burke to say it, but it was quite another to hear it directly from Renley’s lips. “Why are you here?”

Renley blinked, glancing from Burke back to James. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you were given leave from your commanding officer, and you came to Alcott Hall…why?”

The corner of Renley’s mouth quirked into a smile. “Because I wanted to go home.”

“Foxhill House is your home. A Renley has managed that estate for generations.”

“The first Renley has managed Foxhill, you mean,” he replied. “I am a second son, James. Same as you. Same as Burke. My home is where I say it is, and I say it is with you.”

The two men held each other’s gaze as a moment of truth settled between them. James broke it, reaching behind him for Burke. He wrapped an arm around his shoulder pulling him close. Burke let himself be reeled in. James held Renley’s gaze as he brushed his fingers along Burke’s collarbone. “And what about our Burke? Do you want him for yourself?”

Renley glanced from Burke back to James. “Yes, I want him. I want him madly.”

Feeling bold, James leaned in, pressing his lips against Burke’s cheek in a lingering kiss. With his free hand, he traced a line down Burke’s bare chest to the top of his high-waisted breeches. Burke stifled a groan, his hand fisting into James’ shirt. James broke the kiss and turned back to Renley, noting how his eyes heated with desire. “Burke is mine,” he growled. “If you want him for yourself, you will ask my permission.”

Renley sucked in a breath, eyes wide. When Burke didn’t contradict him, he nodded. “James…I want him. I want Burke in my bed and in my life. Please, don’t keep him from me.”

James turned to Burke. “And do you want our Renley?”

Burke nodded, his stormy eyes locked on the sailor. “I do. I want you all. Every minute of every day. I’m aching with it.”

James leaned in, his forehead pressed to Burke’s temple as he breathed him in. The spicy floral scent he sometimes smelled on Rosalie clung to Burke’s skin. James wanted to taste it. Christ, he was going mad with this desire. How had he suppressed it for so long? He turned, looking at Rosalie for the first time since their exchange started. She was sitting up in the bed, the forgotten sheet pooled around her waist, her perfect tits on full display. Her dark eyes were wide as she watched them. He held out a hand to her. “Rosalie, come here.”

Warily, she slipped out of the bed and moved around it to stand by Renley.

James reached for her, grateful when she didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’ve been an incomprehensible fool when it comes to you…all of you,” he added, glancing from Burke to Renley. “I understand what you all want…what you’d be asking of me. As Burke said, the risk is high. There will not be a day where we will not have to be careful, even in our home. We’d have to pick staff carefully, relying on discretion and our own ability to control ourselves unless we’re alone.”

Rosalie glanced at the others. “What are you saying, James?”

“I’m saying I intend to build a life with you…all three of you,” he added.

Rosalie broke, throwing her hands over her face to try and contain her sobs. James had her in her arms in moments, wrapping himself around her naked shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry. I was an arse. I was an idiot. A scared fool. Rosalie, look at me.” He pushed her shoulders back gently to cup her face. “My angel, please look at me.”

Sniffling, she looked up, her eyes red and puffy.

“I am in love with you. We are all in love with you. If you will give me one last chance to prove myself, I will never make you doubt me again. You are the moon in our skies and we the tides, helpless to avoid your pull. There is no escaping you. I don’t want to escape. I want to be lost in love with you forever.”

She sucked in a breath that was half laugh, half cry. Her eyes shined with tears, but now her face looked different. She was smiling. It made his heart thrum in his chest to see it. “I love you, James,” she murmured. “I am so in love with you.”

He kissed her, tasting the salt of her tears on her lips and hating himself for it. He would make it up to her. Every day he would show her how much he loved her. How he meant to cherish and protect her. He pulled back, wiping beneath her eyes with his thumbs. “Tonight, you offered me a precious gift. You implied you would marry me…did you mean it?” He searched her eyes.

She glanced from Burke to Renley. “I…you said you’d only be with me if I gave you everything. I assumed you meant marriage. I want to make you happy…”

“But would marriage make you happy?”

She swallowed, fresh tears springing to her eyes.

He smiled sadly, having his answer…at least for now. “Alright, angel, here’s how it will be. First, you should know that if you and I ever do marry, I have every expectation that I will be cuckolded every day of my life.”

She gasped as, behind her, Renley smirked.

“Don’t think I will mind it, but fair is fair,” he added. “For every morning I wake to replace Burke in your bed, you can expect to wake and replace him in mine.”

Behind him, Burke chuckled, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “We could avoid any morning unpleasantries by just sleeping in the same bed.”

Rosalie glanced between them, hope and longing in her eyes.

James let his eye fall to Renley. “Renley, you recently told me you wanted a tree. I’m not quite sure if the analogy still fits, but I’m offering you a forest. Roots buried deep…entanglements…leaning branches. We can go at whatever pace you want, but—”

“Yes,” Renley said, inching closer.

“If you want a captaincy, I’ll sponsor it,” he added. “Or you can retire and try your hand at farming life. Whatever you want. Your home will be with us regardless. From this day, you’re mine.”

Renley pressed forward, wrapping his arms around James in a hug. James swallowed his nerves, letting himself hug Renley back. It was chaste, but tension simmered between them. A promise of more.

Rosalie was crying again, and James desperately wanted that to stop. Her tears were a physical torture that had him aching with a need to fix it. He let Renley go, his eyes back on her. “Do you have any rules you need stated?”

She glanced around at all three men. “I…no other women. I know how that looks,” she added, cheeks blooming pink. “And I know I’m the worst kind of siren…but there can be only me.”

Renley just chuckled, sharing a grin with Burke.

But James narrowed his eyes. “There will never be another woman for any of us,” he said fiercely, taking a step closer. “But know this, angel. If you even think of seeking comfort in the arms of another man, I will walk away.”

“I wholeheartedly second his threat,” Burke muttered.

“Agreed,” said Renley.

“We will share you, and cherish every moment as we do, but this harem ends with the three of us,” he finished.

She reached for him. “You’re all I want. No others. Ever. I swear it to you. Please, James—”

He held himself away from her. “Within the four of us, there will be no jealousy, no questions of fidelity…and no marriage,” he added. “Not yet, at least. Not until we reach an equilibrium where we all agree it is for the best. For now, George’s title will protect us. We can retire to Alcott as soon as the wedding is over. Our life in the country can go unremarked by the ton. Do we all agree to this plan?”

“Of course,” Rosalie whispered. “I want us all to be together more than anything. I want—” She swallowed, tears in her eyes. “God, please, James, I want you.” She held out her trembling hand. “Please, just take my hand. I need you. I need us. Take my hand and make us whole.”

Instinct took over and James had her in his arms, claiming her mouth in a hungry kiss. Her body went limp with relief as she let herself kiss and be kissed. He smoothed his hands down her naked shoulders, her sides. Cupping her arse, he pulled her close, letting her feel his hardness. Too much was still in the way—his shirt, his breeches. With a groan he released her.

“No—” Her plea died in her throat as she watched him tug his shirt off over his head, the hunger still burning in his eyes.

Next to him, Burke was trembling with need, but he still had the patience to lean in and mutter, “Do you still want us to leave—”

“Don’t you fucking dare,” James growled. “Get me a letter.” He kicked off his shoes, holding out a hand to Rosalie. “Come here, angel.” He cupped her cheek, sighing as her hands smoothed up the bare skin of his chest, wrapping around his shoulders. “I need to be inside you again,” he muttered, pressing kisses to her chin, the corner her mouth, anything he could manage as he worked himself out of his breeches. “Now.”

“Take me,” she panted, teasing his bottom lip with her teeth. “I’m yours. Take me, James.”

“I will. I’m going to claim you. Bury myself in you. Own you. No beginning, no end.”

“Yes,” she begged.

He traced the arc of her neck with his tongue, sucking the taste of Renley off her skin, savoring it. Then he dropped his hand between her legs, loving the way she dripped with desire as he pressed two fingers inside her. She clung to his shoulders as he worked her sweet cunt. Renley had clearly treated her well. She was more than ready.

Burke appeared beside him again, sliding a French letter into his hand. “What do you want?”

“I want her wrapped around me,” James directed, his eyes locked on Rosalie. “I want my cock in her cunt while you fuck her perfect arse.”

Shifting to her side, Burke nuzzled her ear. “Do you want that, sweet siren? We’ll take such good care of you. Let us share you, make you so full.”

Beside them, Renley watched, a pleased smile on his face.

“Yes,” she cried, kissing them both—first James, then Burke, then James again. “I’m yours. Please god, stop talking and make me yours.”