Charles snorted. “As if you want to help me.”

  Damon shook his head. “We don’t, really. But the enemy of our enemies can help bring them down.”

  Charles studied them, and Kean could almost see his brain working through the options—of which Charles had none. If he wanted revenge, he’d have to enlist their help, and to do that he would need to divulge everything.

  “I didn’t know about Daniel until he came to visit me last week,” Charles began. He settled back in his seat. “I’d interacted with him at the club, but I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t believe him at first, even though he looked similar to Father.”

  “What did he want?” Christian asked.

  “He wanted to know if I would help him stop the ‘madness,’ as he called it.”

  “And what did you tell him?”

  “To go fuck himself.” Charles chuckled. “I wasn’t having anything to do with him.” He sighed. “Father started disappearing for several days at a time without telling us where he was going. This was a couple of years ago. I was curious where he was going, so I had him followed.” He shook his head. “Didn’t do much good. Father found out and smacked me around a bit when he got back. He’s always been the one in charge. Mother was happy with our little tête-à-tête with the men we chose from the club. Originally, she had no plans to go further.”

  Kean’s stomach swooped. He knew about those “tête-à-tête” meetings because Henry had explained what went on.

  “When did things change?”

  “After Grandfather died. Father’s father, I mean. We went to his funeral, but Father was stone cold. I’d never seen him like that. After that, he was a stranger. It was like someone had taken over his body. I caught him giving Uncle John orders for an event, but I said nothing. Afterwards, though, I studied him, watching what he did as well as listening to what he said. He was always bringing things into a conversation with Mother. Little bits that she would initially brush off, then she brought them up herself, and Father agreed it was a good idea. But the ideas were his all along.”

  “Did you know his final plan?” Kean asked.

  “No. I knew Uncle John was a pawn, though. Everyone was. Including me. I don’t know what his end game is—I doubt anyone does but him.”

  “Why didn’t you stop it?” Damon asked.

  Charles snorted. “Because I didn’t want to. I wanted you gone. I wanted a chance at the throne, and I trusted Father to lead us in the right direction. Besides, you’re abominations.”

  Kean held his breath to push down the need to punch the man. He might get away with it because Kendal told him to do it. He was a lot more confident now he’d seen Charles taken down a few pegs.

  “How did you recruit people?” Christian said.

  “The club. Perfect breeding ground for ‘paths of all kinds.”

  “Paths?” Kean asked.

  “Psychopaths, sociopaths, and so on.” Charles grinned.

  “How did you choose?”

  “It’s not hard to see which men were into the more hardcore elements of BDSM. You know, the consensual non-consent stuff, sometimes, breath play or high-level impact play. Those kinds of things. Drop a few specific hints, and they’re putty in your hands. Everyone is looking for their next ‘high.’ And it doesn’t take long for them to need more, and by that point, you have enough material to blackmail them into doing the jobs for you.”

  “Who?” Damon asked.

  Charles laughed. “Do you need to ask?” They stayed silent, and Charles shook his head. “Talon, Harvey, Vincent, Tobias, Aaron, to name a few. Need I say more?”

  “So you believed the idea was to have Charlotte on the throne? What are your thoughts now you know he killed her?”

  Charles gritted his teeth, but Kean could see he was considering Christian’s words. They kept silent, waiting for Charles to speak.

  “Well, the plan had always been to kill Uncle John. He was too much of a liability. But Mother shouldn’t have been in the firing line.” Charles shook his head, his jaw clenching repeatedly. “I can honestly tell you I have no idea. Father only ever mentioned getting Mother on the throne. If he had a secondary plan, I wasn’t privy to it.”

  They asked a few more questions, and then Christian stood. “Thank you for the information.”

  They headed for the door with their guards, and Charles spoke again before they exited.

  “Will they let me attend the funeral?”

  Damon smirked and shook his head. “She doesn’t need a funeral yet. The hospital is doing all they can to keep her alive.”

  Kean saw the confusion, shock, and then anger register on Charles’s face before he struggled to stand, his chains rattling as he fought them.

  “You assholes! Let me out of this! You fucking shitheads! I’ll make you pay.”

  Christian chuckled as they closed the door on Charles’s tirade. “That was fun.”

  Kean couldn’t agree more, but had they stirred up a hornet’s nest?

  When they arrived back at Windsor, Brady was sitting with Andrew and Kendal in their suite, sipping coffee, or in Kendal’s case, tea. Andrew stood and greeted them, leaving a lingering kiss on Kean’s mouth before returning to his seat.

  “Everything okay?” Kean asked, taking a perch next to Kendal.

  Andrew sighed. “The body was John.”

  Kean reached across and squeezed Andrew’s forearm. “I’m sorry.”

  Andrew sent a small smile his way. “How are you after seeing Charles?”

  “Lighter,” Kean admitted.

  “I’m glad.”

  “We found out some information,” Damon said.

  They spent the next hour talking about what Charles had told them, which wasn’t a huge amount, while the rest of the family joined them once again—it was becoming a regular occurrence, and one Kean didn’t mind at all.

  They’d wanted to know Ernest’s endgame, but Charles had no idea. They knew a bit more about how they recruited and how their victims were chosen, but not much else.

  “And we have no idea where Ernest is now?” Freddie said.

  Damon shook his head. “Charles had no idea. Ernest hasn’t visited him since he was in prison. He’s had no contact with him at all.”

  “What about Albert? Would he have any idea?” Douglas asked.

  “They barely kept him in the loop with anything, even from the beginning,” Andrew said. “He doesn’t know anything.” He glanced at Brady. “Did you get into the houses? I forgot to ask with everything that’s happened.”

  Brady nodded. “We did, and it surprised us to find nothing except for potential evidence of wrongdoing. There had been a lot of things that had been moved around. We could see the marks across the floors where furniture had been moved, and when we moved some rugs aside, there was damage to the floors underneath. We’ve taken samples to see if they’re blood stains, so we need to wait for the results.”

  “Other than that, there were no signs of foul play?” Andrew asked.

  “The household staff weren’t the most…dedicated. Some were willing to talk, and we’re currently interviewing them. Hopefully, they’ll have something juicy for us.”

  “And the others?”

  “They’re being held as associates to Charlotte, John and Ernest until we’ve had time to investigate.”

  “Sounds like we’re finally getting somewhere with their structural hierarchy,” Kean said.

  He couldn’t believe how convoluted Ernest’s plan seemed to be. If what they thought was true, and he’d been holding the grudge since Andrew declined to marry his sister, then that was forty years’ worth of planning. Did he have a plan before he even married Charlotte, or was it weaved and sewn over the years until it all came together?

  At least now, they were getting somewhere. The foundations of the plan were coming apart, and it was leaving Ernest with not much left to lean on. Or so they hoped. But it also left them with a potentially desperate man. A potentially angry, desperate man. And one who might look around and decide he had nothing left to lose. If that happened, who knew what he’d take the chance of doing.

  “Okay, enough for today. It’s getting late,” Andrew said. “Get yourselves fed and rest up. We have plenty more work ahead of us.”

  Kean said goodnight to several of the family, then headed for the bathroom to run a bath. He’d just started the water when Andrew entered and turned off the taps again.

  “We’ll do that later, but first, I want you both naked and on my bed. I find I have need of you.”

  Kean smiled and strode for the bed. “Your wish, our command.”

  Kean and Kendal stripped, not making it a striptease this time, and then they were gloriously naked, awaiting Andrew’s next command.

  “Kean, lie on your back like you did the other day. You’re taking the same positions but with a slight difference.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Andrew undressed and grabbed a pillow from the bed and the necessities from the bedside table. He stood between Kean’s thighs, slid his arm beneath Kean’s back and lifted him, sliding the pillow beneath his ass. Kean raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

  “Kendal, please straddle him.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  When Andrew positioned them where he wanted them, he said, “I’m going to prepare you both.”

  Kean met Kendal’s gaze and smiled. If it ended up anything like last time, they’d all be satisfied. Kendal’s mouth dropped open, and Kean glanced over their shoulder to see Andrew focused between their legs—between both their legs. Kean would love to be inside Kendal as Andrew slid inside him, but that could wait. He was curious about what Andrew had planned for them.

  Kendal gasped, their arms and legs trembling, their eyes closed tightly, and they tried not to rock back against Andrew’s ministrations. Then Kendal sighed, and Kean felt the slickness against his hole. Andrew took no prisoners. He slid one finger inside, then two, scissoring and rotating them to stretch him. Three fingers. Four and Kean winced and bit his lip.

  “That’s it,” Andrew growled. “Now open for me. One at a time.”

  Kendal rocked forward as Andrew slid inside them, and Kean stopped them by joining their lips in a soft kiss.

  ****

  Chapter 32

  Kendal

  The pressure as Andrew slid deep inside them was immense, but they wanted everything he gave them. And everything Kean gave them, too. As Kendal lost themselves in Kean’s kiss and Andrew’s claiming, they let their mind float and just felt. The first time they had made love this way, it had blown Kendal’s mind, and they waited for it to happen again. But they knew Andrew had something planned to make it even better. They couldn’t wait to find out what.

  “That’s it,” Andrew crooned. “You’re taking me so well, my sweet. Bear with me for a moment.” Andrew kissed their back and withdrew, drawing an unexpected whimper from them.

  They felt Andrew still between their legs, but they didn’t know what he was doing until Kean pulled his mouth from Kendal’s and gasped. Kendal glanced down between their bodies enough to see Andrew sliding into Kean.

  “He feels good, doesn’t he?” Kendal asked Kean.

  Kean nodded and bit his lip, his eyes at half-mast. “So good.”

  When Andrew slid completely inside Kean, his torso rested against Kendal’s ass, keeping them connected. But then Andrew slid his fingers inside of Kendal again, and they gasped, too.

  “He’s inside us both,” Kendal murmured, eyelids drooping.

  “Not exactly how I want to be, but I have plans once I have the necessary equipment,” Andrew growled.

  Kendal’s channel spasmed at the idea. Would Andrew do what they thought he might?

  “You both feel amazing surrounding my cock. I’m glad I don’t have to choose.”

  He removed his fingers, slid his arms beneath Kendal’s chest and dragged them upright. As Andrew slid into Kean, he pressed against Kendal, snapping his hips forward to nudge against Kean’s cock. All three moaned, and Kendal dropped their head back on Andrew’s shoulder, allowing him to guide them where he wanted them to be. As he began a continuous rhythm, he encircled their shafts, and Kendal’s heart raced as heat pooled in their groin. It wouldn’t take them long to fly—they were finding it easier to achieve release with Kean and Andrew than they ever had before. It seemed they didn’t need the impact play as much as they initially believed, although they still enjoyed it.

  Andrew slid free of Kean, pressed his cock head against Kendal’s entrance and slammed deep.

  “Yes! Oh, fuck, yes!”

  Andrew set a faster beat, jerking them off as well as sliding deep into Kendal. He repeated the action of slipping into Kean and back into Kendal again, keeping their arousal heightened. Then Andrew rested Kendal back onto Kean’s prone body, removing his hands.

  “Come for me, my sweet. Come for me, sweetheart,” Andrew hissed, slamming his hips forward.

  The command alone sent Kendal close to the edge, but what sent them over was feeling Andrew releasing inside Kendal, then pulling out and sliding into Kean and continuing his release. It was the perfect way to claim them both at once.

  Kendal lay their sweaty head on Kean’s chest, their cheek immediately sticking to the man, and breathed through the contractions still wracking their body. They doubted they would ever get enough of this. The three of them together. They knew Andrew was concerned about their age gap, and in truth, so was Kendal, but not enough for them to stop their relationship. They couldn’t imagine not being with them now.

  “You should see what I see,” Andrew groaned, and Kendal realised he knelt behind them. “Watching my release slide out of you both at the same time is better than I ever believed it would be.”

  Andrew sounded tired, though, and Kendal knew it wasn’t just his body. His mind and his spirit were, too.

  They jumped when Andrew’s tongue lapped at them but sank into the feeling of being looked after. Presently, Kendal didn’t feel the need to return to the club, and he was sure Andrew wasn’t bothered about it. Kean was a little different. He might want to visit as he’d never spent a lot of time there, and Kendal would, eventually, be able to join him fully. They’d have to discuss that at some point. The same with the living arrangements. They would have to go back to their own homes soon. They couldn’t just move into Windsor from the beginning. Could they?

  When Andrew finished his ministrations, Kendal rose on shaky legs and stumbled to the bathroom. They turned on the taps and started a bath. It wouldn’t be a long one, but it might heal some of Andrew’s aches. The physical ones, at least.

  Kean came up behind them and slid their arms around them. Before, it would’ve freaked Kendal out, but they were getting used to being touched and held now, even when they weren’t expecting it.

  “Our king needs respite,” Kean said.

  “Our liege needs sleep.”

  “Great minds.” Kean kissed their cheek. “I’ll get him in here.”

  “Good luck.”

  ****

  It had taken nine days to get the results from Brady about the two houses because of Easter, and during that time, Andrew had been pulled in so many directions, he was exhausted every time he finally came to bed. They both tried to do everything they could to ease the weight of his work, but it wasn’t easy, but they’d known that going into the relationship. But it was more than that. Kendal could see the burden of Andrew’s family’s treason was worse than his workload, even as he put up a good front whenever anyone was around. Occasionally, Kendal found him staring out of a window, mind elsewhere, and they couldn’t do anything to help.

  When Brady finally came to them with answers, everyone piled into Andrew’s office once more. Kendal and Kean settled in the chairs in front of Andrew’s desk while Andrew settled against the edge of his desk between them.

  “The stains on the floors of both houses were blood. We don’t yet know whose, but hopefully, we will eventually. Though we don’t always know who is missing if they’re not reported,” Brady said.

  “Can we cross-reference those who have not attended the club for a while?” Christian asked. “Some may just not attend any longer, but some might be people who would not be missed, hence why they chose them.”

  Andrew nodded, scratching at his beard as he did when he was thinking things through. “We can certainly ask Clarice to collate a list for us. We won’t have their DNA on file, but we might get some information from their files or their families.”

  “Would Charles not corroborate anything?” Kendal asked.

  Kean and Damon shared a smile. “Not with how we left things,” Kean answered. “We’ve burnt that bridge now, I’m afraid.”

  Andrew tutted, but his mouth curved. “Were you mean, sweetheart?”

  Kean flushed but threw his shoulders back. “We all were, but no less than he deserved.”

  Andrew chuckled and squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sure you were more polite than I would’ve been.” He focused on Brady, his smile dropping. “What else did you find?”

  Brady shifted in his chair. “I swear, Andrew, I’m going to buy you new chairs if you don’t replace these soon.” He shifted again and sighed. “We didn’t find anyone at the properties other than staff, but there was evidence that someone had been there recently. Whether it was Ernest or John before he died, we don’t know. Most staff aren’t talking yet.”

  “Probably too scared for the repercussions, though, I think,” Freddie said, “with Ernest being the only one left, he wouldn’t be too worried about what his staff said. He would be on the offensive now.”

  “I agree,” Brady said. “You need to stay close to home, Andrew. Everyone should. Minimise the chances of his plans working. Whatever they may be.”

  Andrew didn’t reply, his attention on the floor. Kendal watched him, waiting for whatever he was trying to piece together in his head to finish. They saw the moment he did.