"Sir, is everything okay?"

He glanced up and saw the worried expression on his secretary's face. The furrowed brows and the lines around his mouth told him Percy had been waiting for him to answer. "Sorry, Percy. Yes. Everything's fine. What was it you wanted to ask me?"

The salamander shifter gave him a nervous smile. He rolled his pencil between his fingers and held his papers close to his chest "Someone is at the door for you and a messenger arrived with a letter from your wife. She will be returning from the summer home in time for the celebration. Should I reply to her? Maybe you wish to say something to the children."

Barro sighed. He loved his children, but they resided with their mother most of the time. When they reached adolescence, he would groom them to take their place in dragon society. Soon his oldest daughter would come to him. "Send them my love. Send them each a small trinket of my affection. I'm sure you've already picked something out."

His secretary tried to hide the smile that formed on his lips and the glint in his eye, but he couldn't. Barro knew perfectly well Percy and his wife were having an affair. If they were discreet, he didn't care how his wife was entertained. When they had entered into their marriage contract, he had made the agreement they have three children. After the birth of their second daughter, he hoped the third would be a son. This time, I'll make an effort to visit her.

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"No, Sir. What about the man who is here to see you? He said you invited him. Forgive my speaking out of turn, but he doesn't seem the sort who you'd want around. People will talk."

Barro gritted his teeth and felt the fire creeping up his throat. He counted to ten and then let out a breath through his nose feeling the smoke tickle his nostrils. "What people think is no concern of mine. Neither is my choice of the company I welcome into my home. Next time, I suggest you hold your tongue or you'll find your balls cut off and shoved down your throat. I tolerate that you fuck my wife, but remember--one word from me and I can bring you before the council and have you put on trial for treason."

Percy glanced away. "I-I'm sorry, Sir. It won't happen again. I'll bring him right in."

Barro sighed when the other shifter left. He hated being cross with the other man, but once and a while he had to remind him who was the boss. Also that nothing Percy did was secret. Even whatever he did wasn't completely secret. Barro was afforded a modicum of privacy due to his position, but his lifestyle was widely known within the council. However, if he didn't flaunt it and fulfilled his dragon duties then he was left alone. His fondness for other males was shared with other shifters. He just didn't make a habit of frequenting brothels. A colleague of his had passed along Saeran's name to him and said he was very good at what he did. That was the reason he had chosen him for a houseboy. No. Not a boy. A very attractive man who he was completely enamored with. There was something about him that had driven him to invite Saeran back to his house. Why did I do that? What am I getting myself into with him? Over the years he had slept with a dozen or so other men and had always found them pleasing to the eye, but had never invited them back to his house. Saeran was different and he didn't know why.

"Sir, your visitor," Percy announced.

He glanced over and saw the younger shifter didn't even look him in the eye. Fear came off him in waves. Barro couldn't help but smile that he had put that terror into him. He wouldn't apologize for a while. Let him stew in it and make him remember I know what he does and it's only because I allow it.