Colorblind (Moonlight) (33 page)

“Jeez, Mom, I was singing a song.” Leanne spun, rolling her eyes. She dashed up the stairs, hoping to enter her room and close the door before Penny reached it.

It didn’t happen. Penny grabbed the door handle before she could close it, and Leanne sighed and gave up. She plopped onto her bed like a petulant child and glared up at her mother.

As Penny entered the messy room, stepping on dirty clothing she’d told Leanne to pick up numerous times, she spoke, “Your generation does not understand the history behind the word, but I do.”

“It’s not like you were ever a slave—” Leanne began defiantly, only to stop when Penny interrupted with a gentle, “I was.”

Her confession was greeted with another eye roll, an exasperated sigh, and finally, narrowed eyes. “You’re kidding.”

“No, sweetheart, I’m very serious.”

Leanne stared at her. “But you’re a werewolf. A
French werewolf
.”

“Yes, but I was born in Louisiana.”

Leanne stared at her for long moments, before she jumped to her feet and circled Penny as if seeing her for the first time. “You picked cotton?”

She nodded once. “Every day from sunup to sundown.”

“
Oh my God,
Mom!” The screech might have deafened her eardrums if she wasn’t accustomed to her daughter’s shrill vibrato. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“The opportunity never came up.”

“But—”

“Now you know why I don’t want that word in my house.”

Leanne nodded immediately, contrite. “Sorry. I won’t say it anymore.”

“Good.” Penny leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Thank you, darling.”

As she headed for the door, Leanne’s timid question stopped her. “Does Dad know?”

Turning, she looked at her still shocked daughter. “Know what?”

Leanne blinked at her as if she’d grown another head. “That you were someone’s
slave
in Louisiana?”

Deciding honesty was the best way to tackle the subject, she stated, “Of course he does. He owned me.”

“Whaaa…?”

Minutes later when she re-entered her room, Penny couldn’t help but smile. She had four children and all but Julian had had the same reaction to learning Leon had once been her master. Shock, confusion, and horror. It was expected. For one, Julian had grown up in the nineteenth century while Damien, Cristobel, and Leanne had been children of the twentieth. The younger ones could not comprehend how she, a werewolf, genetically superior to a human, could have been a slave to such a weak race.

A voice whispered at her ear. “Is that smile for me?”

Before she could turn, a door slammed and Leon was sliding his hands across her body. She instantly melted. It didn’t matter how many years passed, or how many children she had for him, Leon’s touch never grew old. She shuddered as his lips brushed her ear.

“Not this time,” she replied softly, pulling away when his fingers slid into her khakis. “I had ‘the talk’ with Leanne so expect to receive the cold shoulder for the next few days.”

Leon shook his head and only smiled.

He was dressed in his work attire, the expensive suit one would expect of a real-estate guru. The purchase of the land for the gated community where they currently lived, the Cedar Creek Estates, had gone through the Arnaud Realtors. Leon and Conall Athelwulf, the leader of the Cedar Creek pack, had met through mutual business associates. Upon learning Leon was newly arrived from France and without an American pack, Conall had told him of his plan to create the exclusive community. Leon had searched for the perfect acreage, and Conall had built on it. Not only was it a family-oriented community, it was relatively self-sufficient, with a school that catered to Pre-K through high school and a clinic for minor, sometimes major, mishaps. They’d lived in Cedar Creek—belonged to it was a better word—for close to twenty years and Penny loved it.

“You told her I owned you?”

“Yes.”

“What did she say?”

“That she wasn’t speaking to you for a week.”

“Didn’t Crissy say that as well?” Cristobel was three years older than Leanne. Thirty-one on paper, she acted the part of a college girl. Penny frowned.
Diva
was perhaps more accurate.

“Yes, and then the iPhone and that expensive bag came out.”

“Right. She lasted two days.” Leon smirked down at her. “What’s coming out next?”

As she swatted him, Leon sobered, his expression becoming serious and grim. “Did you tell her that I hated owning you?”

“Did you?” Penny teased, stepping closer to him to undo his tie and belt buckle. She inhaled the heady dose of masculinity that always rode high on his skin, and instantly felt her body heat. Leon always smelled good, like a rainforest after a fresh rain, even when he was sweaty.

“I hated the title.”

“I know.” She smirked. “But you enjoyed having me in your bed.”

“I wouldn’t have had you there against your will.”

“I wouldn’t love you if you had.”

When he stood naked before her, Penny assessed her handiwork proudly. Her eyes were particularly fixated on the jutting length that saluted her.

“Were you thinking of me at work?” she asked curiously.

“I received two pictures of late the Christina Yatowa in my inbox today.” As he spoke, he moved toward her. “She was a beautiful woman. Gorgeous dark skin…like this.” He licked her collar before pulling away. “Her hair was longer than yours, though.” Penny’s hair had once been that length but twenty-odd years ago, she’d hacked it off, and worn it short since. “Down her back, almost to her ass.” His hands gripped that part of her body, squeezing possessively before unzipping her pants and sliding them down.

“Really?”

He nodded and tore open her blouse, bringing a startled cry from her lips. Leon was usually careful about her clothes, but on occasion, he threw caution to the wind and ended up having to purchase her entire wardrobes.

“She was wearing a very small, white bikini in one photo,” he continued, snapping the bra open. His eyes burned yellow as he stared down at her chest. “In the other, her breasts were bared.” Leon’s voice was low and hoarse.

When he lifted her, she expected it and wrapped her legs around his waist. He had her against the wall in seconds, his lips closing around one breast.

Her hands gripping his hair, Penny moaned, but managed to whisper, “Was she more beautiful than me?”

Leon released her nipple, smiled easily, and kissed her. “You have a
remarkably
stunning resemblance.”

Penny was about to follow up with another question when he lowered her to her feet and spun her around. Fingers slid into her from behind and she bit her lip to keep her cries low. There was an inquisitive teenager somewhere in the house.

Those fingers left her and slowly teased her button. As she growled a warning, Leon slid into her, forcing her against the wall. Penny moaned as he furiously took her. It had been her intention when she sent him the e-mail with those sexy pictures.

Years ago, she’d been a model. Penny had been so astonished and excited when magazines began featuring women of color that she’d auditioned. Days later, she’d been surprised and excited to get representation. She’d modeled for clothing companies, cars, any company that wanted her, and had done so under an alias. After ten years in the business, she’d “killed” herself by claiming that Christine had died in a car accident. She couldn’t be in the public eye without people recognizing she didn’t age. Now, she owned a successful restaurant that featured some of Hyacinth’s greatest recipes.

Her orgasm came quickly. She would have fallen but Leon’s hands kept her steady. He led her to the bed and pushed her down before entering her again. As he locked himself to her and came, she sighed and chuckled.

“I saw those pictures in a business meeting and couldn’t concentrate after. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Penny growled softly as he nipped her shoulder. “Thank you?”

He nipped her again and she wiggled a bit, feeling how thick and unyielding he was inside her.

“Were those released?” he asked, and though it was asked softly, Penny heard the hint of anger in the question. When she’d gone into modeling, she’d promised Leon she would do no nude pictures but the ones he’d seen had been topless.

“No. I had them pulled. And the photographer was female.”

“Good.” He kissed her neck, the tension instantly leaving his body. Leon’s possessive nature was limited to males. “They were very good. Very seductive.”

“Obviously,” she teased. “I found them as I was cleaning my laptop, and thought you’d like them.”

“I liked them so much I considered cancelling the meeting and coming home. If I didn’t have to be there, I would have left immediately.”

Penny’s chuckle was cut off by a swift knock at the door. Joined to her mate as she was, Penny could only turn her head in the direction of the door and ask, “What is it?”

“Can I have three-hundred dollars?” Cristobel was the spender in the family. She liked nice things, and expensive to her seemed to mean “nice.”

Leon lifted his head and without seeing it, she knew he glared at the door. Cristobel had been their first girl, and to put it lightly, Leon overindulged her. “Why do you need three-hundred dollars?”

“Oh, I didn’t know you were home, Daddy.” Her tone shifted to that of an excited child. Penny glared over her shoulder at Leon. It was his fault. He’d called her a princess and treated her like one. “Can I come in?”

“No, you cannot,” Leon replied in a droll voice. “Your mother and I are occupied.”

There was a pause and then a long and drawn-out, “Ew.”

As Penny laughed, Leon nipped at her neck, dragging a surprised cry from her. He easily kissed it better.

“Okay, I get it,” Cristobel huffed. “I’ll come back later.”

“
Much later
,” Leon called, which only made Penny laugh even harder.

“That’s disgusting!” Cristobel whispered and Leon chuckled as carefully moved to his side, pulling Penny with him.

“They’re nicer when they’re younger.” He nuzzled her neck. “And cuter.”

Penny readily agreed. “And cheaper.”

“I think we should have another, maybe a litter this time,” Leon said softly. Penny was shaking her head before he finished the sentence. This was always how it started. Leon putting the idea of babies into her head and making it a habit of showing her cute things, like puppies, and kittens, and baby tigers and lions, and before long, her maternal instinct kicked in and she was going into heat, just like he’d planned.

“I don’t think so.”

He slipped from her body and Penny was about to move far away from this dangerous man when he pounced on her.

“Why not? Our children are grown,” he said with a seductive smile that usually had her agreeing to anything.

“Grown?” she queried with a smirk. “Have you spoken to Cristobel and Leanne lately? Or even Damien?”

The only child of theirs who could be called grown was Julian, who currently lived in Paris, and ran the Arnaud Company, a large parent company that oversaw smaller businesses in various fields, with Sebastien and Armand.

Leon laughed and kissed her neck. “You’re a great mother,
ma louve
, and I know you enjoy them as much as I do.”

Of course she enjoyed them. They were her babies, but…. “That doesn’t mean we need to have more.”

“No,” Leon agreed quickly. Too quickly. He stood and moved away from her. Penny sat up and watched as he padded over to their oak dresser. He reached into a drawer, retrieved something, and came back to her. She was about to ask what it was when he spread pictures onto the bed beside her.

Penny took one look at them and laughed. They were black-and-white photographs of their children in both human and wolf form. Of course, the babies and pups were always adorable, especially Damien, who had inherited her dark fur and white underbelly unlike the rest, who favored Leon. He’d been a terror, destroying everything in his path, until Leon taught him how to dig in the dirt outside. Cristobel had been a lazy pup, sleeping for hours at a time and refusing to move, even for food. Naturally, her Daddy had hand-fed her and carried her around like a willing body slave. Leanne had been a ball of energy, like her brothers, and had experienced too many time-outs to count.

There were no photos of Julian as they hadn’t had a camera at that time but Penny had a vivid image of her first child as a pup. She remembered the first time he’d changed. He’d been five and something had terrified him. He’d been crying as a human toddler one moment and the next, he was a mewling silver-and-white pup. It had taken days for Leon to show him how to change back, and during that time, they’d both shifted to wolf form to comfort Julian.

She was brought back to the moment by Leon’s body covering hers.

“You want another one, don’t you?” he asked, smug with the knowledge that she was being swayed. “It’s been close to thirty years since we’ve held babies.”

“We held babies two days ago,” she reminded him, referring to Conall and Vivienne’s newborn twins. Vivienne, the alpha female, had given birth weeks ago, and after allowing the new parents time alone with their babies, she and Leon had paid them a visit. Penny had grown close to Vivienne, who was interested in her past life, her cooking, and every bit of advice Penny could give her on motherhood.

“And weren’t they adorable? Didn’t they make you crave a set of your own?”

Why wasn’t Leon a lawyer? She asked him that.

He chuckled and kissed her before his green eyes lost their playfulness and grew serious. “I want to see you swell with my child again,
ma louve
.” Rolling from her body, he relented slightly, “But if you want to wait a few months, I won’t mind.”

“Months?” Clearly, Leon Arnaud had selective hearing. “I haven’t agreed to anything, Monsieur Arnaud.”

Leon smiled widely, wrapped his arms around her and replied, “Yet,
mon ange
. You haven’t agreed to anything
yet
. But you will.”

She wanted to bite him, or to at least say something smart, but Penny could only frown. He was right. She was already remembering episodes of her children as babies or pups, and it was his fault.