by Dark,A. A.
Her tone, the way she carried herself … even the way she kept oddly looking at me had me dying to knock her down to the ground. She’d belonged there before. What I wouldn’t have given to put here there now. Whispers within promised maybe in time. Maybe when she was mentally more stable I could work to break her down like I longed to. But she was too far gone for that now. West had ruined her in more ways than I wanted to think about. God, where was the old Bram? Would he think any different right now?
We rounded the corner, making our way into the wing. The moment the door shut and we were alone, she spun on me with just as much anger as I carried for her. We were both boiling over with fury for one another, but it was her that was suddenly showing it.
“I came across some pictures in the library. Ones that aren’t faked. Do you plan to show West those, too? Do you plan to make me out to be the whore slave you only wish you had again?”
I backed away. Not because I feared the wild look in her eyes, but because I was sure I had my own. Time was running out for me. If I didn’t come back soon and all I had was my anger, I’d lose her. Not because I’d set her free for her safety and allow her to be a Mistress, but because I’d hurt her. Really hurt her, just like I always knew I would.
“You went through the folder I had on the desk?”
“It’s my desk.”
“It’s my folder.”
“That’s my nude body you’re fucking in those pictures! The old Bram would never have of used me that way!” She took quick strides toward me, trembling as she peered up. “I haven’t once interfered with what you’re doing. I wanted West to pay just as much as you do, but that crosses the line. You’ve cheapened me once in front of him. You won’t do it again.”
“I’ll do whatever I want. I’ll fuck you a foot from his face if I choose. What does it matter, slave? Why the hell do you care so much what he thinks?”
Her lids closed while her pants eventually slowed. “Why does it have to be about him? Did it ever cross your mind how it makes me feel? Those pictures, the act you just threatened me with … you’re not looking out for my best interests. You’re strictly thinking of you. And yet you claim to love me? You say you want our love back. How is that the actions of a man in love?”
I grew quiet while I took in the pain drawing in her features. She was right. I wouldn’t have done this months ago, but I couldn’t admit that. Not to her and not to myself.
“I’m not just any man, Everleigh. I’m Bram Whitlock. The bastard you’ve known your entire life at this fortress is the same bastard he is in love. What do you want me to say? Sorry? I won’t do that. I never pretended to be some knight in shining armor. I never promised to change. If anything, I warned you how it was going to be. So, I can’t feel … I was honest about that, too. Yes, it sways my actions. Yes, it may make me cold and unfeeling. But I do love you. Does that not count for anything?”
Her mouth tightened as she looked down. “No. Actions speak, not words. Just when I think I’m getting to know you, I come to see I have no idea who you are. Eleven said he used to be made to watch you fuck slaves in front of your father. You beat them during sex, sometimes killing them from the brutality of the beating. Supposedly, one night you went through numerous ones. Six, I believe he said. Is that true?”
Bile pushed against the back of my throat and I stepped back through the blinding memories. “He told you that?”
“Is it true?”
My hand rose to my mouth and I turned away, trying not to see what used to haunt my dreams. The nightmares at one point turned, morphing into something I began to enjoy. Something I even began to look forward to. Until it stopped. Until I stopped. Until I had her and the need came back.
“Leave this room right now.”
My order was quiet, but I knew she heard.
“I will not. What does it matter at this point? I already knew it was the truth. You hinted to your past from the beginning. It’s something that will never leave you just like my sins will never leave me. We can’t change who we are.”
The plates clinked and I turned as she set them on the counter. Her words should have outraged me, but all I heard was the hopelessness in her tone. In four strides I was behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other across her chest to hold her to me. Darkness cloaked around me as my eyes shut and I breathed in the new lotion and perfume. Familiarity returned and heaviness pushed against my heart. I soaked it in, letting it calm the monster I knew I was. When the emotions faded, only then did I open my eyes. What I was faced with put me even more at ease. Our special meal. The one she’d spent all day cooking for me.
“I want us to change who we are. I want this distance between us to end. It will have to get better over time. It has to. Just don’t pull away from me. I know you’re angry, slave. I know you don’t trust me, but I’m trying harder than you think to make this work.”
“And if you never feel for me like you did before?”
Nothing. An answer wouldn’t come because I couldn’t dare speak what I knew to be true. We were already constantly going at each other’s throats. I knew who I was at the moment. We both knew. At this point, I was holding hope to a prayer. A prayer to a God who had turned his back on me.
Chapter 26
24690
What was it about social dinners that seemed to be at the start of my schemes? The night I freed the children and killed Eli the Masters had been over. They’d been eating here at this very table. Now that I had them back, the motions were already being set in the next part of my plan.
“I thought you said this was a special dinner?”
I pulled back from where Bram whispered in my ear, giving him a smile. At the flat look he cast, I slowly let sadness mask my face. “It is. It’s a celebration dinner for your return. I figured it was time you socialize with the board. They play a pivotal role here and I thought by bringing you all together, I could make the five of you closer and stronger than you’ve ever been.”
“This isn’t an after-school boys club. I am their Main Master. Their boss. I see them at meetings. I don’t have to have them over for dinner as well.”
“But it’s courtesy. It’s a show of gratitude.”
Bram leaned in even closer as the other Masters spoke of their goings-on in the outside world.
“I am not West and you are not Betty fuckin’ Homemaker. Whitlock is mine by birth and right. I do not need to show my gratitude, it’s the other way around. And you, you should have known better than this. Don’t ever plan anything behind my back again. Especially with them. This was the Whitlock politics I was telling you about. You know nothing, slave.”
I took a deep breath, catching Master Leone’s stare as my eyes rose. The tears welled and I swallowed, bringing my gaze back to the table. It took a moment to compose myself, but when I did, I turned my head back toward Bram, keeping my voice low.
“Let’s take you out of it then. First, you deny me access to be on the board. Now, I can’t even be in their presence to try to earn more of their respect. How am I ever supposed to make a name for myself if you keep holding me back?”
“I can’t believe how naive you are. These men will never give you their respect. They’ll pick apart your weaknesses and use it to their advantage. Without me, they’d eat you alive.”
“I’ll eat them alive,” I hissed. “You underestimate me, Bram. Never do that. Believe it or not, these men like me. It is you who doesn’t want them to.”
My hands lifted to the table and I grabbed my fork, staying silent while I watched the conversation continue on. Bram drew back, stabbing his own fork into a potato, only to pause and lean back in.
“Damn right. I want them as far away from you as possible. I’m so mad at you, slave. You should have never of done this. Why didn’t you tell me earlier so I could have canceled?”
“I said it was a surprise. I thought you’d be happy or at least appreciate the effort I took to make this happen. I was wrong. It doesn’t matter anyway. Before
this is over, you will be thanking me.”
“I doubt that.”
Again, he pulled back, and again I focused on the buzz of their voices while they ate and talked.
“No, I’m telling you, it’s outdated but true. I looked it up. I couldn’t believe it either when the Mistress told me.” Master Barclane turned to me, tapping his fingers on the table. “Mistress, tell Master Leone that it’s illegal in Thailand to step on their coins.”
Out of my peripheral I could see Bram’s head swing toward me. He had no idea I socialized with each one of them when I could. It went to show he hadn’t monitored me anywhere near the amount he had before his attack. He wasn’t the same, but that was for the best. “It’s true. The law is clear. You never step on the face of kings. Not unless you want to be punished.”
“Is that right?” Master Leone asked, intrigued. “What else can you tell us?”
“Well.” I shifted in my seat, remembering some the things my old Master taught me in my lessons. “Siberia holds over twenty-five percent of the world’s forests. And the Sahara Desert makes up an area greater in size than the continental U. S.” I paused. “Also, Iceland uses the energy from its volcano’s as a power source. Master Vicolette once told me it was mainly to heat their pools in the winter. He said it got pretty cold there.” I smiled as the memories came through. “Did you know they have a time in the summer where they play golf at midnight? It never gets dark during that time. Master Vicolette loved golf. He said the experience was amazing.”
“I played in Iceland with him once,” Master Kain said, smiling. “It had to have been four years ago. We ran into each other there by chance.”
“Did you?” Master Barclane, asked. “I once ran into him in Switzerland. The man loved to travel.”
“Yes, he did,” I mumbled.
“Fascinating,” Master Leone, chimed back in. “You’re well-schooled for someone who has never left this place. Your old Master taught you very well.”
“Because he beat the shit out of her if she didn’t remember. I once had to send my guards to take her to Medical because the son of a bitch took off and left her bloodied all over the floor. I figured when she didn’t wake up after a few hours, I’d have to come in and save her ass. A concussion, three stitches on the inside of her bottom lip. Was that all? Did he break your wrist that time or was that another episode? I can’t remember, it happened so many times.”
My smile fell as I turned my attention to Bram. The anger thrumming through only increased as his eyebrow rose at me challengingly. He wanted to put me in my place. To show me up in front of the Masters. It was time I showed them all.
“I think you covered everything. But I have to admit … it sure did pay off. I’m like an encyclopedia of knowledge. He would hit and the facts would stick. I know more things than people could imagine. The information he shared, though, went well beyond random facts about the world. Master Vicolette loved his secrets. He knew things most would never want exposed. Things they’d kill to keep quiet. Before his death, something happened I didn’t quite know the significance of. I actually put it together last week when I was making plans for this very dinner. You see, pot roast was only made on special occasions under my Master’s roof. He was planning a trip before he was killed so I figured that’s why he instructed me to make it. Little did I know, it had nothing to do with his business and everything to do with the dealings he’d made with some of you.”
Silence filled the space and the atmosphere only seem to thicken. Everyone looked between each other, squirming as their attention went to Bram.
“What are you getting at, Mistress? What’s this about?”
I took a drink of my wine, glancing over as Jarrett eased into the room. At his presence, Bram cocked his head at me.
“I’m so glad you ask, Main Master. And I’m going tell you. But first, I want you to all look at me. I want you to see the Mistress you deem unworthy. The one who isn’t good enough to be amongst you. This Mistress and former slave knows things. I want you to remember that. At this point, I have nothing left to lose. But you do. Especially you,” I said, turning my head to pin Bram with a glare. “I’m going to save your life and there’s going to come a time that I’m going to ask something of you. You’re going to give it me.”
“Don’t you tell me what I’m going to do,” Bram burst out. “Start talking. If you know something about a threat towards me, you’re going to tell me right now.”
I drew my fingers into a fist, waiting.
“Everleigh, talk.”
“Your word, first.”
A good few moments went by before Bram growled. “Fine. You can ask one thing of me. One. But it can’t be taking my place. That I won’t allow.”
“I don’t want your title, but I will take your agreement. The ones at this table are here to witness it.” My head turned, dismissing him as I glanced directly across from me. “There’s may come a time when I call on you, Master Leone. I want your word that you’ll give me whatever assistance I seek. It could be tomorrow, it could be three years from now.”
“Me? Why should I help you?”
“One word: Jacksonville.”
His eyes flared, dropping, and he paled as if he were going to pass out or be sick. Seconds went by while he stared at the table before him. “Done.”
“Thank you,” I nodded. “Master Barclane, the same goes for you. Before you try to stand up to me, I’ll say one thing: Delilah.”
“Impossible,” he exploded.
I shrugged. “It doesn’t appear so. You will give me what I want when the time comes.”
He kept quiet, but gave a quick nod.
“Thank you.”
I turned to Bram, ignoring the rage on his face. “If you thought West was the only one plotting your death, you’re gravely mistaken. In fact, you might have been dead long before his attack if my Master wouldn’t have been killed first. Isn’t that right, Master Yahn? Master Kain?”
Bram’s hands flattened on the table and he slowly stood. “Go on.”
“Something came back to me while Master Barclane visited me the other day. We talked about many things, but there was one thing that triggered a conversation I had with my Master. It all started when I asked Master Barclane’s opinion on a new board leader. I naturally mentioned Master Yahn. We all know the passion he expresses when it comes to being in charge.”
“Of course I want to lead the board,” he cut in. “That doesn’t mean I want to kill the Main Master.” Master Yahn’s glare narrowed even more. “You’re making a huge mistake, Mistress. Whatever conversation with Master Vicolette you’re speaking of, I assure, you misunderstood it.”
“No. I did not. Master Barclane, you said Master Yahn and Master Kain had plans to come to your apartment to discuss a few things concerning the board. Is that correct?
“Yes,” he said, drawing it out.
“They also used to come to my Master’s apartment quite often. A few nights before his death they both showed up together. It was rare they did that. That’s why this particular night stands out. I served them dinner—pot roast, at my Master’s request. The moment the plates were on the table, I was abruptly dismissed and told to retire for the night. I was a good slave. I did as I was told. It was after my shower routine that I walked in on my Master pulling out his lockbox from under the bed. I remember him being excited. He kissed me goodnight and said he’d join me after he took care of some business. I could still hear you Masters talking so I knew it involved the two of you. Before he left, he said something I thought was the ramblings of a drunken man. He often fed me nonsense after he indulged too much.” I paused. “He asked if I wanted to go on an adventure. When I told him I couldn’t leave here, he said I wouldn’t have to. It was then, he waved the paper at me. It was less than a minute later I heard all of your excitement and whispers.”
“You’ve lost your mind,” Main Kain burst out. “We were discussing real estate, nothing more.”
“Yes,�
�� I said, grinning. “I guess you could call Whitlock that.” I placed Master Vicolette’s key on the table, sliding it to the middle. When they stared at it uneasily, I reached into my pocket, withdrawing the paper and handing it up to Bram.
“What is that?” Master Yahn asked, standing. “I don’t know what she’s up to, but this is absurd.”
“Sit down!” Bram stared between the paper and the two Masters, growing angrier by the second. When he looked to me, his chest was rising and falling with each deep breath he took. “This was in your Master’s lockbox?”
“It was.”
“How did you get access to it? I had everything taken to storage.”
My eyes cut over for a moment and I frowned as I glanced back up. “I had Jarrett retrieve it for me.”
“I’ll deal with you and the High Leader later,” he said, pointing at me. “As for the two of you. You have one chance to confess.”
“Confess? But …” Master Yahn’s head whipped to Master Kain, only to come back to me. “We backed you. We gave you the title as Main Mistress before we ever knew Master Whitlock would return. Master Leone and Master Barclane said we were crazy! And you do this?”
“Back me? Yes, you did do that. But you didn’t have a choice. I was rightful heir with my husband out of the way. We both know the Whitlock Guard would have supported me. Besides, I’m a woman. A slave and easily disposable of in your eyes. Isn’t that right?”
“Confess.” Bram reached into his suit’s jacket, pulling out his knife as his waited.
“We won’t confess to something we didn’t do.” Master Kain stood, eyeing me as he slowly made his way in my direction. “You can believe this manipulating bitch all you want, but I’m telling you she’s lying. All she wants is to be on the board and she’ll do anything she can to get there. I’m not going to let her.”
Jarrett rushed in my direction, regardless that Bram stepped in next to me. His hand squeezed into my shoulder, keeping me cemented in the chair. “You take one more step and I’ll slice your throat. If she’s lying, I’ll find out. If you’re lying … I’ll find out.”
