Angelique (15 page)

“Of course, Michael, I am doing fine, and how was Venice?” she asked as she looked around for privacy, but the only place not guarded by four large men was the balcony. She walked out and inhaled the warm night air.

“Yes, of course I have been waiting for your call. You know I love hearing from you,” she replied, and then she heard someone clear their throat and looked behind her to see Armand and Marcel. She mouthed the word “business” to them, but they didn’t look like they bought it.

She continued to answer Michael’s questions as he gave his lingerie order and she made her suggestions.

“You mean you like the thong I showed you in red? Perfect choice, and the accent beading was to your satisfaction?” she asked, basically trying to block out the murmured cursing and angry tones behind her. She was losing her patience with the men. She asked them to respect her privacy and they refused. So now they were listening to a one-sided conversation that probably sounded like some sexy booty call, and they looked about to grab the phone from her hand. She turned away from Armand’s grasp and scooted into the corner of the balcony.

“I’m sure your wife Lena will love it, Michael. All the items I will be making just for her. No woman will have another of its kind,” she stated as she held Armand’s gaze. He looked to his brothers as she continued to talk with Michael and write notes down on the pad she had. A few minutes later she ended the call, pleased that Michael ordered over a thousand dollars of merchandise as usual. But now she had four men to deal with.

“Who the hell is Michael, and what were you doing talking about thongs?” Armand asked with his arms crossed in front of his chest. She should have known what part of the conversation they would focus on. She released an exasperated sigh then walked past him and back to her bag. She placed her phone and the notepad inside, and before she could stand back up, Armand grabbed her hand and turned her toward him. Marcel and Remy stood naked with their arms crossed in front of their chests and their cocks erect. She swallowed hard just as Eloi walked out of the bathroom.

“Bath is ready,” he stated as he looked at each of their faces.

“Good,” Angelique replied and started walking toward the bathroom.

“Let her go, Armand. We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Remy stated.

“Get to the bottom of this? Did not you hear her conversation?” Armand replied.

“It’s okay, Remy. I think I get this situation just fine. I ask for privacy and for y’all to respect my business, yet you decide not to and eavesdrop on a private business call. I see how this works,” Angelique said then quickly headed into the bathroom. She closed the door on all four men.

* * * *

Armand felt as if his blood were boiling and his head were about to explode.

“Are you shitting me, Remy? You heard her call. They were talking about thongs and panties.” Armand yelled.

“Who was talking about that?” Eloi asked as Marcel explained.

“What?” Eloi yelled then reached for the doorknob.

“Wait!” Remy ordered, and Eloi raised his eyebrow and shot a look at his brother.

“Just hear me out now. She’s right. She asked for privacy and we obliged,” Remy stated.

“That was before today. Before I sank my cock in deep to her and made her part of me,” Armand replied.

Remy exhaled then ran his hand through his hair.

“She asked for her privacy. If this relationship is going to work, then we need to respect her,” Remy the man with reason added.

“I respect her, but I also want to know whom she was speaking to on that phone about thongs,” Armand replied.

“You better tread carefully because she got a past that says some man hurt her, maybe even controlled her. There’s a lot to learn about our woman, and ruffling feathers isn’t a smart thing to do,” Remy said.

“Yeah, he’s right. Especially if we want to get close to her and make love to her and gain her trust,” Marcel added.

“Maybe we’re the ones with issues about trust,” Eloi said then opened the bathroom door before Armand did.

* * * *

Angelique sat in the hot bubble bath and absorbed the magnificent bathroom. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, even in some of those fancy magazines she looked at every now and again.

She let the warmth soothe her aching muscles despite the fear and upset she felt inside her. The men had really pissed her off and especially Armand and his blatant show of disrespect for her privacy. How could she explain to them that she wasn’t ready to discuss her business with them? It seemed like they wanted to know everything about her instantly and turn her into whatever they wanted. She released an annoyed sigh as she started soaping up her body. She heard the door creak open, and she wondered which brother decided to confront her first. More than likely they would dominate and try to inform her that she needed to listen to them and do as they said or else. She swallowed hard, and the tears reached her eyes. They weren’t like her ex. They wouldn’t do that. She felt that uneasy feeling inside and tightness in her chest. She closed her eyes.

“How’s that water, sugar?” Eloi asked as he took a seat on the tile wall built around the extra-deep Jacuzzi tub. She kept her eyes closed and shrugged her shoulders.

“Armand doesn’t mean any harm, sugar, he’s just a bit jealous, that’s all. He needs to know that you’re not the cheating kind,” Eloi told her, and she opened her eyes, shocked at his remark.

“Me, the cheating kind?” she asked, surprised at how shocked her own statement sounded and how ridiculous it was to accuse her, of all people, of such an act.

She shook her head.

“I don’t want to talk right now, Eloi,” she stated then swallowed hard as she looked him in the eye.

He reached into the tub and took her hand. He brought her wet, sud-covered fingers to his mouth and kissed the tips before kissing her palm.

“Talk to me. Make me understand about this privacy you need and with your business.”

The tears stung her eyes, and she shook her head.

“You can’t tell me?”

She shook her head again.

“Is it illegal?” he asked with one eyebrow raised and in such a serious tone she laughed.

“No,” she retorted, but she smiled and felt that giggly sensation in her belly again. How could badass Eloi who hardly ever smiled joke around like this?

“Is it that you don’t trust us?”

She was silent a moment. That was a big question. She wanted to trust them, but she had been down that road before and was hurt by one man. She would never survive four.

“What are you so scared of, honey?” he asked as he caressed her arm then took the soap and began to wash her. Immediately her nipples pebbled and her pussy clenched. Damn, he was good.

“It took a lot for me to have sex with all four of you. I gave so much of myself to each one of you. All I ask for the time being is some privacy so I can handle my life and my business.”

“We’re just trying to get to know you better, baby,” Eloi said then soaped up under her breast, being sure to roll a nipple between his fingers along the way. She lifted toward his hands, causing her breasts to lift above the surface of the water and collide with the cool air. He leaned over the side and poked out his tongue to taste her.

“I think you’re trying to control me,” she whispered, and he stopped and held her gaze. He shook his head.

“We want you. We want every part of you, and with that being said, we need to learn what we can about you. We want to know about your job, where you live, and about your family. It’s natural,” he replied, and she shook her head. The realization of needing to explain everything to them was overwhelming to her. She wasn’t even ready to tell her sisters about Secret Pleasures or about the Lafont men. She wasn’t even sure if there was any future with them. It could only be tonight. The thought made her heart ache.

Stacy sat up and looked around for a towel. As she turned she saw Armand standing there holding a big, thick black one.

She looked at Eloi and his fierce expression and then at Armand, who looked like he wanted to say something but held it back. Slowly she got out of the tub.

* * * *

Armand looked her body over and the way the suds dripped from her nipples, hardening from their stares. Eloi took her hand to help her balance herself, and then she stood in front of Armand. He licked his lips, and he saw the blush that crept along her neck as she tried to cover her breasts. It was no use. Their woman was built like a centerfold model. Armand wrapped her in the fluffy towel and lifted her into his arms.

“You smell real good, Angel,” he said, and she held his gaze.

“I can walk,” she stated, which started out firm but ended in a heated breath. Not that she could move even if she wanted to. Armand had wrapped her like a burrito. He smiled as he inhaled her scent. “I like holding you in my arms and keeping you close to me.”

She began to say something then closed her mouth. He carried her out of the bathroom to the bedroom. Marcel and Remy went to take showers, and Eloi was doing the same thing. It was just her and Armand now. He gently laid her on the bed.

“I’ll get the pillows wet with my hair,” she exclaimed and sat up. He pulled the towel slowly from her body, and she tried to clench it to her with a fist.

“I’m cold,” she replied, eyeing him from head to toe. She looked so delicate and concerned. He smiled.

“I promise to warm you up, honey.” He slowly unclenched her fist and began to discard the towel from her body.

He lifted it from her and used it to dry her hair the best he could. He reached for a shirt, his shirt, and helped her get into it. “That shirt never looked better,
chère
,” he complimented, and she shyly looked down to the rug as she crossed her ankles.

He laid the towel on the bed then gently placed his hand over her belly to help her lie back. She did, and then he joined her by lying down next to her.

Armand’s heart was pounding inside of his chest. He was already in love with this woman, and he knew it. She got under his skin like no other person ever could, and damn it, it seemed that trust didn’t come easy for her. How could he have such strong feelings for someone who didn’t trust him? He sighed as he laid the palm of his hand on her belly while he bent his elbow and rested his head on his hand. He stared down at her until she looked at him. Those gorgeous green eyes sparkled like some fine, expensive jewel.

“I’m happy that you came here today and that you allowed us to explore these feelings we have for you.”

“It wasn’t planned,” she stated, and he raised his eyebrows at her, and she continued.

“But, I’m glad it did happen.” He smiled at her comment as he rubbed his thumb over her belly. She looked sexy as sin in his shirt. Lying down, the blue T-shirt fell midthigh on her and accentuated her voluptuous figure.

“It's part of the process, sugar, to want to get to know our woman,” he whispered, and she tensed a moment then slowly turned her body to face him. His hand followed her movement and now lay across her hip bone.

“Can I ask you something?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Why don’t all four of you want your own woman? Why do you want to share one? How does it work? How can there not be any jealousy or anger?”

“That’s more than one question, baby.” He smiled, and she shyly turned away. He touched a finger to her chin so she would look at him. Then he placed his hand back on her hip.

“To answer your first question with a direct answer would be difficult. What I can tell you is that generations of Lafont men have made the decision to enter a ménage relationship and lived happily ever after. It is a type of relationship acceptable ’round these parts for generations. But either you want it or you don’t and can’t handle it. My brothers and I have each been through a lot in the years. We’ve done our best together. After Remy and Marcel returned from serving their country, their perspectives on life and family changed. I’ll be honest, honey, we fooled ’round a bit and explored with women to see if this is what we want, but it never felt like it felt when we were with you today. We all have strong feelings for you. The feelings are so strong that they kind of make us seem controlling. But we respect you.”

She swallowed hard and seemed to be relaxing the more he explained about this type of relationship. Maybe she was just scared of that.

“I’ve heard stories about relationships like this, but I’ve never seen one up close until your mama’s party. Why doesn’t your papa share?” she asked.

Armand chuckled. “My papa would probably tell you that he doesn’t want to share his woman with none of his brothers, but when he met mama, his three brothers met Aunt Shelly Ann. She stole their hearts, but not papa’s. He was in love with mama. We got plenty of family that are in relationships like ours. Is that what you’re afraid of? What people say and think?” he asked, and she shook her head. He was relieved. She was silent a moment, and he gave her time.

“Can I ask why you’re so afraid? Why do you need your privacy so badly, and why are you so reluctant to let us get to know you?”

He was shocked when he saw the tear roll down her cheek. He was just about to say something to break the long silence when Angelique spoke.

“I’ll tell you a story, Armand, about a girl just twenty-three.” She reached out her hand and touched his bare chest with her fingertips. His stomach muscles tightened, and his cock stirred beneath his jeans. He knew this story was about her, and he wouldn’t interrupt. He craved any information she would give and any deeper connection he could feel between them. He nodded his head, and she continued.

“She was living a hard life. A really hard life with her sisters that weighed a toll on all of them. Their mama and papa died in a tragic car accident when she was just a child,” she stated then stared at her fingers where she touched him. His heart ached for her. He just knew this had to be tough.

“She tried very hard to live a good life and not give her older sisters a hard time, she being the youngest, the baby and all. But they’re just so protective of her. You have no idea,” she told him as she looked up and held his gaze. He nodded in understanding.

“She was a young woman, kinda pretty but not the best body around. She didn’t have a lot of self-confidence, you know? But she met a man. An older man who made promises and told her things that a young woman desperate for true love would believe no matter what she knew in her gut wasn’t right.” She took a few unsteady breaths, and Armand felt confused. Surely the woman with the okay body and little self-confidence and just pretty looks wasn’t Angelique. But he continued to listen, wondering if Angelique felt that way about herself.

“It got bad fast. He wanted to know where she was at all the time. Where she would go and who she was with, and he got angry fast. He always got real angry when she questioned him or did something he didn’t like,” she said as another tear rolled down her cheek. He reached over and caressed it away then cupped her cheek.

“What happened next?”

“She was real scared all the time, Armand. She couldn’t tell her sisters because they would be mad that she got involved with an older man and someone who hit her.”

Instantly Armand’s gut clenched. The woman was Angelique. Now he understood why she didn’t want to give up so much information about herself. She was scared that he and his brothers may hurt her or try controlling her. He was shocked that someone hit her.

“He hit you?” Armand asked, and she covered her mouth with her hand. He pulled her closer to him and laid his hand against her back.

“Angelique, he hit you?” he asked again, and slowly she nodded her head. She didn’t try to deny that the young woman in her story was actually Angelique.

“Oh baby, what did you do?” he asked, and he noticed that his brothers quietly entered the bedroom. They took position on the bed around them, and Angelique covered her face.

Eloi and Marcel touched her shoulder as Remy pressed a hand against her leg.

“It’s okay, sugar. We’re not ever going to hurt you. You can tell us anything,” Remy whispered.

She uncovered her eyes slowly and stared down at him.

Armand touched his fingers to her chin, and she looked at him. “Explain it so we can understand. We need to understand your fears.”

“I’m scared of all four of you,” she whispered as the tears rolled down her cheeks. Armand was shocked, and so were his brothers as they all kept a hand on her body.

“I’m scared of your sizes, of your tempers and your need to know my business and not respect my privacy. It scares me to know that you were in the military and could use your training and boxing abilities to make me do things I don’t want to do. I’m scared of how easily you each make me lose control and make me want things I’m not even sure I can handle. Most of all, I’m scared of falling in love and taking a chance, only to be hurt again. I wouldn’t survive it, if one of you hurt me.”

“Aww, sugar, none of us will ever hurt you,” Marcel told her as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

“That guy you talked about wasn’t any man,
chère
. He was an
ass
hole,” Eloi stated firmly with an accent, and she giggled. He looked so serious, and the way Eloi said asshole seemed to make Angelique smile.

Armand rolled her to her back and smiled down at her.

“You mean more to us than you even know, sugar. We asked those questions because we want to know everything there is to know about Angelique, Angel, Aubert. We don’t want to run your life or make demands on you. We just want you, period,” he stated then kissed her fully on the lips. When she reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him back, he felt at ease and knew they were making progress. He released her lips and touched his forehead to hers. “Damn, you’re hot, baby.”

She smiled slightly then looked at his brothers.

“I just need to be cautious, that’s all. I want to do this right. I want to be able to tell my sisters I met four wonderful, loving men who treat me right and will never break my heart.”

“That’s not too much to ask,” Remy told her.

“I can respect that if you give a little info here and there along the way. I want to know everything there is to know about my woman so I don’t screw this up,” Marcel said, and she laughed.

Armand spread her legs and wedged his body between them. He ran the palm of his hand along her left thigh, lifting the material the further up he went. When he caressed her breast, she held his forearms, arched her hips, and took a deep breath.

“I want to know every inch of this body.” Eloi lifted the shirt higher, and Armand leaned down and licked her belly.

“Starting with this little mark right here,” he said, and she smiled.

“That’s where I put my belly ring.”

His eyes widened, and his dick pulsated inside his pants. The thought of her wearing a belly ring along with her feminine tattoo turned him on big-time.

“Why aren’t you wearing it?” Marcel asked.

“Don’t matter. Next time you better be wearing it,” Eloi told her as he brushed his thumb across her bottom lip.

“Are you making demands on me after what I just told you?” she asked.

Eloi leaned forward with his lips inches from hers. “I sure am, except my demands don’t come with punches, baby, my demands come with loving for my woman.”

He kissed her before she could respond, and they all began to tickle her.