Matilda placed a gentle hand on Margeret’s arm.

"Go and rest, my dear," Matilda said softly to her daughter.

"Take some tea in your rooms. I need a word with the young master alone."

Margeret hesitated only a moment, her hands finally relaxing at her sides. She glanced once at Jake—quick, shy, unreadable—then nodded and slipped away down the corridor without a word. Her footsteps faded, leaving the two of them alone in the quiet hallway.

Matilda stepped closer.

She was a striking woman, mature in the way that made Jake’s blood run hotter the longer he looked at her. Voluptuous curves filled out her elegant gown, the fabric hugging the full, heavy swell of her breasts and the soft, womanly flare of her hips. She carried herself with the quiet confidence of someone who had lived and survived, the kind of beauty Jake had come to crave above all others. MILFs, he thought, with that familiar, unapologetic hunger that always stirred in him around women like her—bodies that had known life, that moved with experience, that promised a depth of pleasure younger girls could only guess at.

Matilda was exactly that: full-figured, sensual in her maturity, her face carrying both strength and a subtle, knowing allure that made his perverted mind race even now.

She met his gaze directly. "You have helped us a lot and I really want to do something."

Jake nodded. "I meant it. You and Margeret are safe here. Its no trouble for me."

Matilda shook her head, a small, determined smile touching her lips.

"No. I’m not a woman who takes advantage of a young man’s generosity. You’ve offered us safety, a place in your home, and protection from men like Kunther who would see us as easy prey. That is no small thing in this city. I need to give something in return."

Jake’s brow furrowed slightly.

"It’s no trouble, Matilda. Really. I have the means. The villa is large enough. You don’t owe me anything."

She took another step closer, close enough that he could catch the faint, warm scent of her perfume—something floral and mature, like night-blooming jasmine mixed with something deeper. Her eyes held his, steady and unflinching.

"I’ve heard things about you, young master. Whispers in the villa that you have a... particular appreciation for women of a certain age. Older women. Women who have lived."

Her voice softened, but there was no hesitation in it.

"I’m not blind to the way you looked at me during our talk. I’m not a fool. If that’s the price of true safety for my daughter and myself—if that’s what you want in return—then I will give myself to you."

Jake’s perverted mind clicked into place like a key turning in a lock. Heat flooded through him, sudden and sharp. His eyes moved over her without shame now—the full, heavy curves of her breasts straining against the silk of her gown, the soft roundness of her belly, the generous swell of her hips that spoke of a body made for pleasure and comfort.

She was everything he desired in a woman: mature, voluptuous, experienced.

A true MILF, the kind whose presence alone made his thoughts turn filthy and possessive. He imagined her beneath him, those full breasts in his hands, her mature body arching as he took what she offered.

The lust in his gaze was unmistakable, dark and hungry, as he watched her with open appreciation.

Matilda saw it. She didn’t flinch.

Instead, a faint flush rose on her cheeks, but her voice remained calm and practical.

"We should take this conversation elsewhere. Somewhere more private."

Jake’s voice came out lower than he intended, roughened by the sudden surge of desire.

"My chambers. Follow me."

They walked in silence through the corridors, the air between them charged and heavy. Servants they passed bowed quickly, eyes averted, sensing the shift in atmosphere. When they reached Jake’s private chambers—spacious rooms with high ceilings, a large four-poster bed draped in dark silks, and windows overlooking the inner gardens—he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Matilda followed without hesitation.

Jake turned to a passing maid in the hallway before closing the door.

"Wine and food. Bring a selection to my chambers. Something good. And tell Chelsea to prepare it personally."

The maid bowed, flustered but obedient, and hurried away.

Chelsea heard the summons within minutes.

She was in the kitchens overseeing preparations for the evening meal when a servant relayed the message. Her first reaction was skepticism, a small frown creasing her brow.

Jake’s appetites were no secret to her—she had been part of his inner circle long enough to know his taste for mature women, his growing harem of experienced beauties who had found their way into his life and his bed. But this felt sudden, even for him.

Still, she prepared what he asked without complaint: a tray of fine wines from the villa’s cellars, fresh bread, roasted meats, cheeses, and fruits arranged elegantly. She added a small pot of the spiced tea he liked and sent it up with a quiet word to the maids.

Whatever was happening, she would handle her part.

In a shaded pavilion on the eastern terrace, overlooking the terraced gardens, the other women had gathered for a late afternoon drink.

The air was warm and fragrant with blooming flowers.

A low table held pitchers of chilled wine and light snacks. Maudlina lounged on a cushioned bench, her voluptuous form relaxed in a simple gown that hugged her full breasts and soft curves.

Elise sat nearby, her own mature body at ease, a glass of wine in hand.

Raani leaned against a pillar, her athletic frame still carrying the disciplined posture of a Dragon Maiden even in rest.

Ankerita sat with her usual elegance, slim and trim, sipping her drink with measured grace. Maureen was there too, along with Rosa and a few others from the inner circle.

They had heard the news quickly—servants whispered, and in a place like Raaya Villa, word traveled fast. Jake had taken Matilda Linnam to his chambers.

The implication was clear.

Maudlina smirked into her wine glass.

"Well. Our young master certainly doesn’t waste time when he sees something he likes. Another older woman added to the collection. He really does have a type, doesn’t he?"

Elise laughed softly, the sound warm and knowing. "He does. And I can’t say I blame him. Matilda is a beauty. Exactly the kind of woman who can handle a man like Jake."

Raani raised an eyebrow, though there was amusement in her golden eyes.

"He already has more than enough of us to keep him occupied. But he’s never been one to turn away a willing beauty. Especially not one with curves like hers."

Ankerita set her glass down with a small, dramatic sigh, though her lips twitched with suppressed laughter.

"Shameless," she remarked.

"Absolutely shameless. The man collects mature women like some men collect fine wines. One after another, and he shows no signs of slowing down. It’s indecent."

The others burst into laughter.

Rosa, seated comfortably with her own glass, shook her head fondly. "Oh, come now, Ankerita. Don’t be so hard on him. He’s young, powerful, and he knows what he likes. Besides, we all chose this. None of us were forced."

Maureen chuckled, swirling her wine. "Exactly. And let’s be honest—he treats us well. Better than most men would. He’s generous and attentive, and he actually listens. If he wants to add another experienced woman who needs protection and chooses to offer herself in return, who are we to complain?"

Elise nodded, her expression softening. "Matilda isn’t some naive girl. She knows what she’s doing. And Jake... he has a way of making a woman feel wanted. Truly wanted. Not just used. If she’s offering herself because she sees value in what he’s giving her family, then that’s her choice. We’ve all made similar ones."

Maudlina grinned, leaning back and stretching her arms above her head in a way that accentuated her full, voluptuous figure.

"Besides, it’s entertaining. Watching him charm these mature beauties one by one. He has half the older women in the villa wrapped around his finger—or other parts—and they’re all happy about it. Shameless or not, he’s consistent."

Ankerita rolled her eyes, but she was smiling now.

"Consistent in his shamelessness."

They continued like that for a while, the conversation flowing easily between teasing jabs at Jake’s taste in older women and genuine affection for the strange, powerful life they were all building around him.

Jokes about how he seemed to attract every mature beauty who crossed his path, how he had somehow collected a group of strong, experienced women who now shared his bed and his protection without jealousy tearing them apart.

Back in Jake’s chambers, the door had barely closed behind them when Matilda turned to face him fully.

The air between them was thick with unspoken things. She stood tall, her voluptuous body outlined by the afternoon light, every curve a quiet invitation.

Jake’s eyes roamed over her openly now—taking in the full breasts, the soft belly, and the wide hips—and his perverted mind raced with possibilities.