Beck hadn’t thought of that. Cian had always handled things like that, but he seemed to be very derelict in his duties lately. Beck had hoped that once he bonded he would go back to his responsibilities. “And what has my brother been doing?”
Liadan shrugged gracefully. “He rarely leaves the Queen’s side. He dotes on her when he should be working. She demands it. I thought she wasn’t royal, Your Highness, but she certainly acts like it. She forced the women of the village to sew her a new wardrobe, and the miller to up his work all because she has to make some strange human food. She even took one of my dresses. The new queen thinks that anything to catch her eye should be hers, I suppose.”
“Is that a fact?” Beck asked.
Liadan looked properly intimidated by his low growl.
“She is even forcing the villagers to work for her,” Liadan said, pointing out a stall. There was a long line, and two young sidhe were working hard to sell some sort of food product.
Beck nodded shortly. His queen had gotten out of hand while he was gone. It was time she knew the king was back.
Chapter Sixteen
Beck made sure he had a tight hold on his mental shields as he approached the cottage. Even as he looked around, he kept the walls up so he didn’t alert his brother to his presence.
Beck was shocked at the state of his lands. He had left a sad, rundown cottage and was returning to a home someone gave a shit about. Someone had weeded the gardens and planted flowers. The front walk was lined with orange and yellow marigolds. The walk had been swept, and someone had woven ivy up and down the front walls. The cottage looked lovely. There were pretty yellow linens hanging in the windows.
Beck stopped and looked out over the fields. Someone had been working there, too. It seemed that Cian hadn’t been so derelict.
Beck wondered about Liadan’s words. He hoped his twin hadn’t been forcing the villagers to work while he paid court to their new wife. Cian could be lazy at times, but he wasn’t cruel. He did sometimes take a different view of what was due to them than Beck did.
What if Meg sided with Cian? What if Meg thought it should be her right to take what she wanted simply because someone had put a title in front of her name? She was about to discover that it was his right to set her straight.
“You wanted to see me, Professor Finn?”
Meg’s voice was soft but audible through the open windows. Beck paused before opening the door. He could see his brother and their wife through the open shades. She was so beautiful to Beck. She was wearing a pretty skirt and a shirt that dipped awfully low on her chest. She’d unbuttoned the top two buttons, and her breasts swelled out of the white linen. It made his mouth water to remember just how good those breasts felt in his hands and pressed against his chest. She wore her long hair in pigtails, tied with white ribbons.
“Yes, I did, Megan,” Cian said in what Beck recognized as his teacher voice. It was stern and a little intimidating. Why was he using it on their wife? “You were a very naughty girl in class today.”
Cian was sitting at the kitchen table, and Meg stood looking down at him. Beck couldn’t see his brother’s face, but he had an excellent view of Meg. She leaned over. Her voice was slightly breathy. “Please, Professor. I need to pass this class. I can’t fail. My parents would be so angry with me. Is there anything I could do for a little extra credit?”
Beck let his pack fall to the ground. This was interesting, and he wanted to see exactly what they were doing. Cian liked to play out little scenes like the one he was performing with Meg.
Cian had a great imagination when it came to dirty fun. Beck felt his interest rising along with his cock. Meg seemed to be playing along willingly. The entire trip home, Beck had thought about what Colin had said. Meg didn’t have the same expectations other bondmates had. What if she had been telling him the truth? What if she really did want that submissive relationship-thing she had talked about? Could he trust himself to give her what she wanted and not hurt her?
There was a deep chuckle. Cian sat back in his chair. “I don’t know about that. I’d have to see what you have to offer me. Let’s see, your Gaelic is horrible.”
“I’m working on that,” Meg promised with wide eyes. “Tà grà agam duit.”
She’d said I love you in passable Gaelic. It sounded pretty coming from her lips. She’d said it to his brother.
“Nice, a grhà,” Cian praised her. His long fingers tapped rhythmically against the table. “But I was thinking of something a bit more physical for this extra credit you need. You look like a strong girl. Why don’t you take off that shirt and show me your muscles. I’ve been looking for someone to help me carry my books.”
Beck almost laughed out loud, but then Meg was dragging the shirt over her head. Her nipples came in view. They were a dusky pink and stood out, obviously aroused. She touched them. She rubbed her breasts brazenly. Her small hands caressed the mounds. They were round and gorgeous, just perfectly made. They made his mouth water. He really wanted to force her onto his cock and watch those breasts jiggle as she rode him hard.
Would she do it if he asked her? Would she do it faster if he ordered her?
“Do I look strong enough, Professor?” Meg asked. Her voice was husky. Beck’s cock hardened painfully. He could only imagine what it was doing to Cian.
“I suppose so,” Cian allowed. He was playing the stern professor to the hilt. “You know, all that walking is going to require strength in your legs as well as your torso. I don’t think I can give you this assignment until I’ve seen your legs.”
Meg bit her lower lip and looked sweetly nervous. She was good at this. She seemed to enjoy the play.
He had thought that once he and Cian settled down with a bondmate, their days of playing in such a manner would be done. Sexual relations with a bondmate were reverent, sacred acts. What if all that reverent sex bored his wife to tears because she was a dirty girl underneath? Maybe Colin was right. Maybe he should start thinking of Meg as Meg, rather than a bondmate. Maybe he should give Meg what Meg wanted rather than what he thought she should want.
Meg slid her right leg onto the top of the table. She carefully, slowly pulled her skirt up. Her fingers ran the length of her pretty leg, all the way to her hip.
“Now, Megan,” Cian began authoritatively. “It is obvious to me that you’re missing a very important piece of your school clothes. A good student doesn’t come to class without her underwear.”
Her mouth was a perfect O that would fit his cock when he shoved it in. Beck was so hard. He had to get a grip if he ever wanted to walk in that room. If he didn’t, he would end up stroking his own meat in the flowerbeds.
“I must have forgotten, Professor Finn,” Meg said as her finger started playing with her pussy. A wicked little smile lit her face, and Beck felt left out. She looked at Cian like he was ten feet tall and had just slain a dragon for her. “Sometimes I forget. Are you angry?”
“The question isn’t whether I’m angry, my lover,” Cian said, slyly coming out of character. His head swung around, and he looked his brother straight in the eyes. “The question is whether our peeping Beck is enjoying the show?”
Cian looked perfectly pleased with himself, and Beck knew his brother had been on to him for a while. Meg, on the other hand, looked horrified. She gasped and held the shirt in front of her like a shield. Beck sighed and picked up his pack. He stalked to the door of his home and stepped inside. He frowned. It looked like sexy playtime was over.
“How dare you,” Meg said, going to stand behind Cian.