Read Online Simply Pleasure by Kate Pearce - Free Book Online

will not be pleasant.”
    â€œIt’s the only way.”
    â€œI could find people who would do this for you.”
    â€œI have to do it myself.” He took a deep breath. “Some of this is my fault. I knew he was struggling, and I chose to ignore it.”
    â€œHe’s not a child, Val, and you are not responsible for him.”
    â€œYou don’t understand. I forced him to stay with me. I made him dependent on me. I used his love for me against him.”
    She regarded him seriously, her beautiful face still. “Then how can I help you?”

    Peter woke up with a terrible headache and the sense that something wasn’t right. For one the hangings on his bed weren’t green and secondly, the sunlight had shifted to another part of the room. It wouldn’t be the first time recently that he’d woken up in an unknown bed with a sense of panic. But this space was both familiar and frightening at the same time.
    He rolled onto his side and spied Val sitting by the fire reading a book.
    â€œYou’re still here?”
    Val looked up at him. “How are you feeling?”
    â€œLike a horse that’s been dragged through a hedge backward. Where exactly am I?”
    â€œAt Madame Helene’s.”
    â€œWhy?” Peter briefly closed his eyes. “If you’re wanting to fuck me, Val, you might have to wait. I’m not feeling too well.”
    â€œAre you hungry?”
    â€œNot particularly.” Peter sat up and stretched, allowing the covers to fall away from him. Val was staring at him. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œI didn’t realize you’d gotten so thin again.”
    Peter looked down at his chest. “I’ve always been thin.”
    â€œBut now you’re almost emaciated.” Val shook his head. “Will you please put on your robe and come and sit down and eat something?”
    â€œYes, Nanny,” Peter murmured, but Val didn’t smile. He pulled on the blue silk robe that lay on his bed and joined his companion at the fire. A tray of tea sat on the table with a selection of cakes and pies. “I’m really not hungry, Val.”
    â€œAs you wish.” Val poured himself some tea and sipped at it, his gaze fixed on the flames.
    After a while Peter cleared his throat. “So are you going to tell me what this is all about?”
    â€œYou’ll be staying here for a while.”
    â€œWhat do you mean? Has your father finally thrown me out?”
    â€œHe’s fairly close to it.” Val looked down at his cup. “Why did you steal from him?”
    A cold wedge of ice settled in Peter’s stomach. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    â€œYou pawned several items from your room and stole coins from my father’s study.”
    Peter opened his eyes wide. “Is that what he told you? Good Lord, Val, the man’s been trying to get rid of me for years! Are you going to believe him?”
    â€œI checked the details of his story and they appear to be true.” Val’s violet gaze met his. “What I don’t understand is why you didn’t come to me if you were in financial difficulty.”
    â€œI wasn’t. I assumed the items in my room were mine to do with what I pleased. I’m not the only member of the household who helps himself to the marquess’s petty cash.”
    â€œI wish you would stop making excuses for yourself.”
    â€œI wish you would go away and stop acting like your father.” Peter stood up. “I’m not accountable to you, or to him.”
    Val leaned back in his chair and looked up at him. “When you live in our house and owe us everything?”
    â€œDevil take it. I only stayed there because you begged me. You begged me, Val, don’t you remember?”
    â€œMore fool me.”
    â€œThen there is a simple remedy to this, is there not? You go away and leave me here at Madame’s to earn my