“Don’t start fooling around with him just because he’s in your rooms a lot.”
Aleric barely held back an eye roll. “I don’t need my Father telling me what to do in private.”
“You shouldn’t be messing around with employees. Remember what happened with the head maid and the other who served here last year?”
“Yes, I remember.” The head maid had been married and started an affair with another servant which had caused a bunch of trouble.
Truly, if Jaime refused to suck him off, Aleric wouldn’t force him or threaten him with money. He’d like to get sucked off at home, and it’d avoid the awkwardness of taking him along if he went to a whorehouse. Guards were one thing. They didn’t stay in Aleric’s room. It was different with a private servant or aid.
Also, asking Jaime to service him put him in control first instead of Jaime possibly later asking if they could mess around. Jaime would be trying to get control if that happened.
Fuck. He’d already tried getting it last night. Being firm and putting one’s foot down didn’t always work with certain people. Jaime was one of those people who didn’t think to take charge or be the dominant one. They just did it because it was who they were.
When Aleric did it in certain situations, he felt like a fake. It worked at whorehouses because whoever had been paid to get in bed with him did what they were told for the money. While Aleric was the future lord, he wasn’t that special. The whore would be with another man the next night or a few hours later.
“Are you bringing him tomorrow when we go hunting?”
“He can come,” said Aleric. Jaime’s presence was more important, and Aleric had an idea to get out of being in the woods where “accidents” might happen.
Even if Jaime knew what was going on, he wouldn’t be able to protect him from everything.
“It’s better than being stuck inside,” Aleric continued as he spread norben on his toasted bread. “If he wants to hunt, he can.”
“Does he know how?”
“I don’t know.”
Allowing Jaime to do something would probably make him happy and more compliant. Maybe he wouldn’t whine about not getting his dick sucked, do his job, accept his pay, and shut up.
“Are you playing chess later?” asked Father. “I put money in the pot for all three of us.”
“I'm playing.”
“You almost got to the end last time. Hopefully, I won't lose the first round.”
Aleric rather envied his Father at times. One of the people he had to worry about was sitting in the Hall with Zacharie at a round table. Father didn’t have to worry much. He should have been worried.
He also should have listened to his oldest son, and it still stung that he’d looked at Aleric and called him a liar. Neither spoke of that time anymore, but the fact remained, and Aleric hadn't forgotten.
No matter what happened in the future, he might as well get used to relying on himself for the most part. Jaime was a tool. A temporary one.
Lord Monet wasn’t a bad Father. In fact, he was a good one. His problem was that he was blind to the faults of people he believed to be good. Unfortunately, that hadn’t applied to Aleric because Zacharie had gotten there first, and the accused hadbeen around and in Father’s good graces before Aleric was even a thought.
Again, like many times before, he wished he’d gone to Father with the evidence when it was fresh and new. He wished he hadn’t allowed shame and fear to close his mouth.
He couldn’t even run and leave it all behind because Father wasn’t safe. If Aleric couldn’t figure something out within a year or two, he might have to take the risk, deal with the problem, and if he was caught, endure the crushing disappointment from Father.
Chapter Three
Jaime awoke in the morning to find Aleric glaring down at him. The small throw blanket had slipped off, and Jaime’s morning wood was straining through the sleep pants which were too short on him.
“A servant took your things to wash and has fetched a few items from one of my cousins who leaves clothes here when he goes home to visit. You’ll put them on and be ready when I return.”
“I thought you’d like me pants that are too tight. You gave them to me.”
Aleric rolled his eyes. “What else was I to give you late at night? Get up and eat.”
A tray had been left on the table in front of the couch. Jaime hadn’t heard anyone and hoped he hadn’t traumatized a servant with his morning wood. “I’m up.” A huge pile of clothes had been left on the armchair.
