Page 5 (1/2)

CHAPTER ONE

Ancel was a virgin the first twelve times he had sex The thirteenth time, it lacked all plausibility

He tried so different ‘I shouldn’t Lord Arten owns my contract’

‘Oh fuck You’re a noble’s pet’

The voice behind him was more turned on than ever Ancel could feel the hard cock of the h layers of fabric Pets were exclusive commodities, and a pet under contract was forbidden

‘You could buy out my contract’

‘How much?’

He ure There was no Lord Arten Ancel landed his first contract that day: three ned over to the ifted a peridot The colour of his eyes, green as emeralds But not as expensive

Yet

The servant who dressed him told him what he needed to know about clothes, and the etiquette was easy Watch, copy, or else make his own rules In the brothels of Sanpelier, he had already learned the most important question: Who is the richest man here?

Ancel turned down the first flurry of offers for his contract He let the merchant’s son parade hi the acquaintances they dined with during the day and the young hotheads they drank with at night The richest nate Louans, and Ancel knew that the ift to open business talks with him

‘Give ift,’ said Ancel, on the sheets, his body still flushed, his red hair sweat-tousled

‘What?’ said the merchant’s son

‘Give et you your trade deal’

Since the only jewellery Ancel oas not impressive, he wore neither ornaht to Louans’s rooreen silk, wrapped around his waist, when he arranged himself in a sprawl on the bed

Louans was a e Ancel had never been inside a residence as grand as this one He had thought the merchant’s son ealthy, when he’d first seen hiht: that’s the richest man in the province Now he knew his own limited experience of the world The merchant’s entire house was the size of Louans’s entrance hall

Ancel’s heart beat quickened as Louans entered, a dark shape in the doorway Louans owned this residence and everything in it: the gold candlesticks, the rich tapestries depicting hunts and gardens, the patterned tile, the green silk on the bed And what lay under it

‘You kept ,’ said Ancel

He felt the dip, as Louans sat beside hiift well I like rare things’ Louans reached out, with easy ownership, and took a lock of Ancel’s hair between his fingers ‘Is it red everywhere?’