Moon Flower

The air was charged as the others watched him closely and whispered behind his back. Everyone in the room was in danger of being exposed by this person, and the consequences would be severe. So it was obvious why some of the gentlemen were overly gracious to him, allowing him to insert himself in front of the line, which made Galen grit his teeth.

The constable ordered Madam Langley to send a pot of moon-flower tea to his room, not heeding the warnings, but he likely needed its relaxing properties more than the others. He was arrogant and bad-tempered, and Galen could feel Azriel trembling beside him as the constable turned his scrutinizing gaze to the men wearing flowers.

Galen’s stomach twisted as he wondered who the constable might set his sights on this evening. He did not think he could bear it if the constable turned his attentions to Azriel, even if the door aperture remained open as a safety precaution.

Galen could feel the constable’s gaze on him—perhaps he was remembering him from their visit to Enchantment—and Galen briefly considered raising a flirtatious eyebrow in his direction, so as to draw his eye away from the others. He’d endured rough fucking before, and though he didn’t enjoy it, it didn’t frighten him as much as it did Azriel. But he’d thought the same about the man in the alley, and it had ended up being a grave mistake.

To his utter surprise, it was Bellamy the constable requested a liaison with, and Galen felt guilty for breathing out in relief. If Bellamy was concerned about the upcoming encounter, he didn’t outwardly show it. Instead, he smirked as they discussed the terms of the arrangement—which included a terse request from Madam Langley that the aperture remain open—then winked after the constable removed his flower.

Perhaps the nature of the act—which according to Azriel, would place Bellamy in a position of seeming influence over the constable—was the reason the constable fought Madam Langley on the rules, such as the aperture remaining open. Galen didn’t think the appearance of weakness pleased the self-important man. Little did the constable know that the position was empowering as well—it was one of the aspects Galen enjoyed about the men who trembled with desire to have intimate contact with him. He doubted the constable would ever understand that concept, not while he was fighting himself so hard.

Still, something niggled at Galen as he observed Bellamy following the man down the hallway to their room. The constable’s sense of entitlement? The idea that he didn’t have to adhere to the intimate arrangement he’d made with another person?

The notion that he’d scared Azriel without any regard for his feelings or well-being made Galen tremble with rage, and he squeezed his fists tightly to regain control. He needed to have faith in Madam Langley that she would do her best to keep Bellamy safe. Galen had struggled with that from the moment he set foot in Moon Flower, but he was learning to trust others to varying degrees.

He was relieved when Mr. Blackburn requested both of them again, yet still shaken by the constable’s unnerving presence, and Azriel seemed to be as well.

Once Galen helped remove Mr. Blackburn’s coat, revealing a more colorful waistcoat, the man gave them both an assessing glance. “You seem distracted.”

Azriel immediately straightened. “I’m sorry, sir. That is not our intention.”

The strain in his voice helped Galen thrust his gloomy thoughts aside. This was a business transaction, and Madam Langley would not look kindly on any complaints. No doubt she was already on edge from the constable’s arrival—evidently, she hadn’t been expecting him.

“We are ready to be at your service, sir,” Galen said.

“It’s perfectly all right to have an emotional response to whatever is happening in your lives,” Mr. Blackburn told them, and it only made Galen admire him more. “But I have a feeling this is about the constable.”

Azriel stammered. “It-it would be rude for us to discuss other gentlemen with—”

“I understand. All I mean to say is, having him here causes quite a stir, for obvious reasons.” He sighed. “The power he wields can have a devastating effect, on all of us.”

Azriel only nodded and bowed his head, trying hard to be the consummate professional.

“Unfortunately, the only thing that matters in society is one’s standing and reputation.” He looked off into the distance. “Who you love holds no interest. Unless it’s the wrong sort of person, of course.”

There was a quiver to his voice, and not for the first time, Galen was curious about Mr. Blackburn and what brought him to Moon Flower. Thus far, he’d only mentioned inheriting his father’s accounting business, as well as a country cottage in Solar’s Edge, which he hadn’t visited nearly as much as he should have in the past couple of years. There was undoubtedly more to the story, and Galen wished he could inquire about it, but it was not his place.