Page 30 of A Mistake of Identity
“Oui, oui, I know. Within reason.” She didn’t look remotely chastened. “But the boy needs proper clothes. Even Jean has a full wardrobe now, though he insists on wearing those awful ripped jeans...”
“Annabelle…”
“I’ll be shopping. Send a message with any requests, mon cher,” She said, addressing Ellis. “I will do what I can to get them.
“Thank you, Annabelle,” Ellis said, grinning.
“Of course!” Annabelle practically bounced as she left, shutting the door behind her.
Gabriel moved to the dresser, selecting a pair of “cheeky” briefs in a delicate powder blue, the sides crafted from fine mesh that would hug Ellis’ thighs. “These first,” he said, holding them out.
Ellis flushed. “Under a suit? To the office?”
“Yes.” Gabriel’s voice dropped lower, heated. “Only we’ll know what you’re wearing beneath those borrowed clothes. It will please me to know you’re dressed in what I chose.” His thumb traced Ellis’ bottom lip. “Don’t you want to please me, petit oiseau?”
Ellis’s breath caught, but he nodded. Gabriel stepped close, slowly unwrapping the robe from Ellis’ shoulders, letting it pool at his feet. His eyes darkened as Ellis slipped on the delicate underwear, the mesh panels clinging perfectly to histhighs. The powder blue fabric contrasted beautifully with Ellis’ skin, still flushed from the shower.
“Perfect,” Gabriel murmured, pressing a kiss to Ellis’ shoulder before turning to dress himself.
Once fully dressed in Lucas’s suit, Ellis couldn’t stop fidgeting with the jacket. Gabriel caught his hands, pulling them away from the fabric. “You look beautiful.” He pressed Ellis against the wall, claiming a kiss that left no doubt about his appreciation. “And if you continue fidgeting with that suit, I’ll be tempted to remove it entirely.”
“I don’t understand why I am going to the office with you,” Ellis said as Gabriel guided him downstairs and into the breakfast room.
The rich aroma of fresh coffee greeted them before they entered, mingling with the scent of warm pastries. Morning light streamed through the wall of windows, catching on the crystal glasses and pitchers filled with an array of juices set out on the intimate table.
Ellis had grown used to the warmth of this room over the past week—the way sunlight painted the pale walls in amber tones, how the heavy curtains were always drawn back to flood light across the table that seated only six. Even the gleaming buffet had become a comfortable sight, steam rising from covered dishes while fresh fruit glistened on silver platters.
Lucas glanced up from his tablet, sunlight catching his grin as he lounged in his usual spot between Jean and Alain, who sat at the window-end of the table. “So that’s what Jacob wanted my suit for. And here I thought Jean had finally convinced him to aid in another escape attempt.”
At the mention of his name, Jean’s head snapped up from where he was sullenly pushing eggs around his plate. His gaze narrowed at Ellis’ attire. “You’re letting him leave?”
“Jean—” Lucas started.
“No!” Jean shoved back from the table. “This isn’t fair! You can’t keep me locked up here while he gets to—”
“Jean.” Gabriel’s voice cut through the tirade. “Until we better understand your family situation—”
“There’s nothing to understand!” Jean’s voice cracked. He stormed from the room, the door slamming behind him.
Lucas watched him go, concern etching lines around his eyes. He opened his mouth, but Gabriel waved him off.
“Technically, Confluence Asset Management owns his contract. He’s an adult, and we’re not required to inform his family of anything.” Gabriel squeezed Ellis’ hand as confusion flickered across his face. “The situation is... complex. High society doesn’t work in brothels. Jean being under this type of contract, could cause problems, especially since we don’t fully understand why he ran away.”
Gabriel caught the slight tightness at the corner of Lucas’ mouth—a tell he’d known since their school days. Lucas knew why Jean had run. That his oldest friend hadn’t shared this information was... interesting. Gabriel trusted Lucas with his life, which was why he’d wait. Though not for much longer.
The remainder of breakfast was a quieter affair, without Jean’s usual dramatic sighs and pointed comments. Lucas seemed distracted, his eyes occasionally drifting to the door Jean had stormed through.
The drive to the office was also quiet. Alain navigated the Mercedes through morning traffic while Lucas reviewed Gabriel’s schedule from the front passenger seat.
“Mostly written reports today,” Lucas confirmed, scrolling through his tablet. “Video call with the London office at nine, Berlin at eleven, and then the quarterly review with New York at two.” He glanced back at Gabriel. “Though I still don’t understand why we couldn’t push the New York meeting to tomorrow. Anderson is always a bit long-winded.”
Gabriel’s lips curved in amusement. Nathaniel - don’t call me Nat - Anderson had been a year ahead of them at Chaminade, the crown jewel of Second Cat education, where the region’s most influential families had sent their children for generations. While most students came from the surrounding estates and old-money neighborhoods, the prestigious boarding program attracted scions of powerful families worldwide. Nathaniel, son of a New York banking dynasty, had been one such resident of the ivy-covered dormitories.
Even then, Nathaniel carried himself with the slightly pompous air of old East Coast money, tempered only by his genuine passion for lacrosse and mathematics. No one was surprised when he captained Yale’s lacrosse team while double majoring in economics and business administration.
“Remember those pre-game speeches?” Gabriel asked, allowing himself to sink into the memory.
“God, yes.” Lucas moaned. “We’d be standing there in full gear, waiting to start the match, while he waxed poetic about honor and tradition and the sacred brotherhood of lacrosse.”
