Chapter 10: Scott's Castle

Molly’s POV-

Despite the tumultuous emotions that raced through me as I walked toward Laurent and the woman behind the bar, I kept my head held high and my eyes forward. I was afraid that I would get lost in all the erotic scenes playing out around me. As it was, the temptation to stop and watch was almost too much for me to ignore. But I managed to keep my eyes forward.

The woman behind the bar looked me straight in the eye, then she leaned over and said something to Laurent. Laurent’s head swiveled around to pin me with a stare. I tried not to let him see how much the power of his gaze affected me. It took all of my control and concentration to override my inherent desire to drop my gaze. I saw him raise an eyebrow at me, but I refused to back down. I wasn’t doing it on purpose, but I had enough men thinking they could boss me around. I didn’t need another one.

“Can I help you, ma petite?” Laurent asked.

The look on his face told me that he probably already knew what I was going to ask, and it almost made me falter in my quest. My mouth opened and shut several times before I finally was able to make a sound come out.

“I-I’m so sorry to bother you, M-Master Laurent,” I spoke finally.

I didn’t even bother to use the French term he had offered me earlier. Though my accent wasn’t awful, it was difficult enough to speak English at that moment, much less a foreign language.

“It is fine, ma petite. I told you to come to me with questions, no?” he replied.

His gentle tone caught me off guard. A flush rushed up to my cheeks despite his reassurance.

“Yes, you did."

“Is everything alright with Jean-Pierre? Did you need help?” he asked.

“No… I mean... yes, everything is fine. I just… well, I was hoping to speak to Scott… I mean Master Scott.”

There was no way I would be able to get used to calling him that. I thought to myself with a slight grimace. But I didn’t wish to get a new lecture from Laurent about proper titles. Not to mention, now that I understood what was going on, I knew a bit about what was expected of me.

Laurent and the woman behind the bar looked at each other and quickly spoke in hushed tones. Even without the music and the busy people behind me, I wasn’t sure if I could have understood them with how quickly they were speaking. But I could tell they were hesitant to tell me where Scott had gone.

I moved closer. “Please, Master Laurent. I really need to speak with him. I won’t keep him long, but I believe he and I have much to discuss.”

The woman behind the bar gave a laugh. “I do believe you are right.”

I tried hard not to glare at her, wondering what she thought she knew about Scott and me. However, she seemed to be agreeing with me. And if that’s what it took to allow me to go speak with Scott, I would have to be nice to her.

Laurent, however, looked me over for several moments as if he was trying to decide whether or not I was being truthful.

“Maître,” the woman called to Laurent as she put her hand on his arm. “Scott may need this as well. This might be best.”

I couldn't help but notice the familiar way she spoke to Laurent. I wondered if maybe I had jumped to conclusions a little too quickly. Maybe there wasn’t really anything going on between her and Scott. She seemed a bit more intimate with Laurent, or maybe, she was just a bit friendlier than I was used to. Either way, I might have been a little too hard on her.

“Very well,” Laurent finally replied, then turned to me. “He is outside in the garden area through the back. I will have Esme take you that way. So you do not get lost.”

“Merci, Maître Laurent,” I told him in relief. “Merci, Merci.”

Laurent reached out and tapped my cheek. “Do not thank me just yet, ma petite. I do not know if Scott will be too excited to speak with YOU.”

Fair enough. I thought to myself. I wasn’t exactly excited to speak with Scott either. But it needed to be done sooner rather than later. I had learned a while ago that if Scott’s lectures were put off, they tended to get worse rather than better.

Esme came around, hooked her arm through mine, then walked me through the play area towards the back door.

I kept my eyes on the ground and concentrated on putting one step in front of the other. Occasionally, someone would call out to Esme, and she would respond. But throughout her escort, she was kind enough not to try to include me in anything. Esme seemed to understand how awkward and out of place I felt and wasn’t interested in making it worse. Esme allowed me to stay invisible at that moment.

Suddenly she drew to a stop in front of a large double door that was propped open, allowing the cool evening breeze to blow in and bring the scent of flowers along with it.

“Here you are,” Esme told me unnecessarily. “Maître Scott should be out there.”

I pulled away from her. “Merci, Esme.”

But she put her hand on my arm before I could get too far away from her. I looked back at her, and her dark eyes held no evidence of the bubbly woman she had been during the walkover.

“I do not know what is going on between you and Maître Scott, and I know it is not my business. But he is a good man and a good Dom. Try not to be too hard on him if he can’t handle what is going on. He cares for you deeply. That is not something to take for granted,” Esme advised.

Before I could even think of a good response, she turned and walked away, leaving her words hanging in the air.

I didn’t know if I believed her or not or if I should just listen. However, it still didn’t change my need to speak with Scott and find out what he is doing here.

And that was just a start.

I stepped out into the garden and slowly began to walk around a courtyard that was practically worthy of a castle. Roses, gardenias, lavender, and even lilacs filled the air giving the night a scent that was not likely to be forgotten. The area was lit by small solar lamp posts positioned at different intervals throughout the pathways.

Even without the lamps, the full moon cast its silvery glow down on the area, giving the courtyard an otherworldly allure. I felt as if I had just walked into a different realm.

I followed the pathways around and around until I was almost lost, but suddenly in the middle of the flower garden was a large gazebo wrapped in fairy lights. Standing in the middle with his back turned to me was Scott. He looked like a gypsy in the night, waiting for his lady love.

I rolled my eyes at my fanciful thoughts and squared my shoulders purposefully.

“Scott!” I called to get his attention.

His strong, broad shoulders stiffened suddenly, and he slowly turned towards me. Even in the darkness, I almost see his blue eyes as they flashed with irritation. I was almost startled when he didn’t give me his classic disapproving frown as I moved closer.

“What do you want, Molly?” Scott asked in a harsh tone.

“Don’t talk to me that way, Scott. We need to talk, and I don’t need one of your annoying lectures. So just can the attitude, k?” I replied in frustration.

Scott gave a low growl, and within two steps, he was standing right in front of me with my chin in his hands. His eyes flashed with lightning and barely controlled fury as he glared down at me.

“Watch that smart mouth of yours, Princess. You are in my castle now.