Chapter Eight #2
I swooped upright as she stabbed her finger into my grey t-shirt-covered chest. “One day, I will find what scares you the most. One day, I will find your greatest weakness, and when that day comes...I’ll fucking ruin you with it.”
I shivered.
Couldn’t help it.
She was just so goddamn beautiful when she was mad.
Dropping my hand, I rearranged my swelling erection and shot a smirk at Victor. “Do I have time to play before we go to your office, or do I need to restrain myself?”
Letting Peter go, he swayed upright. “You’re alive by my grace only. Proof and cash...those are the only things that will give you that life back.”
“Fine.” I removed my hand. “Let’s get it over with then.”
Victor chuckled. “For someone treading the plank, you’re mighty cocky.”
“Only ’cause I know I’ll be getting back on the boat.” I winked. “To play on your analogy, of course.”
“We’ll see.” Giving Peter a soft smile, he said, “I know you had a rough night with Master K, my pet. I saw the footage of what he did to you. I don’t like that you broke one of my rules and hate that you forced me to punish my entire jewelry box of precious gems, but...
I think you need an afternoon off to contemplate your actions... and to heal.”
Peter blinked as if he’d never heard such an offer. “Eh, are you sure?”
“Are you questioning my command?”
“No, Sir V. Never.” Climbing to his feet, Peter kept his eyes downcast. “W-What should I do?”
“Whatever you like.” Victor shrugged. “You’re free from service until tonight.
Go sleep. Go sunbathe. Go for a fucking swim for all I care.
All I ask is you relive the mess you caused and strive to do better.
” Patting his cheek, Victor sighed dramatically.
“Actually, you know what? The air in here is a little too serious for my taste. I think we all deserve a little fun.”
Ily sucked in a breath, sensing the underlying monstrosity of his tone.
“I think a treasure hunt is in order, don’t you?”
Peter couldn’t hide his cringe. “Y-Yes, Sir V.”
“I’m putting you in charge of arranging it.
You know the typical rewards. Gather up as many prizes as you see fit and scatter them around the estate.
You know what I expect.” Grabbing Peter’s collar, his gentille persona vanished.
“And don’t think you can just include prizes that benefit you and yours.
Include prizes for my guests too, please.
Otherwise, we’ll have to have another discussion. ”
Peter shuddered. “Yes, Sir V.”
Letting him go, Victor wiped his hand on his trousers. “By the way, were you in any way responsible for Ily’s strange condition last night?”
The question was phrased so gently but a quiver of daggers rested inside.
Peter glanced at Ily. He opened his mouth—
“I let fear override my common sense,” Ily snapped. “He didn’t do a damn thing.”
Victor grinned. “You know, loyalty toward a friend over loyalty toward a Master often leads to the worst pain of all.”
Her nostrils flared.
Looking back at Peter, Victor said suavely, “You know I’m aware of your illicit apothecary, correct?
” He chuckled as Peter stiffened into concrete.
“Relax. I’m not going to punish you for it or even take away the pills you hide in your pillowcases.
I tolerate Dr Belford’s substance smuggling because when one of you self-medicates, my guests always comment what a good fuck you were. ”
Rearranging his cock, Victor shrugged. “I even partook in one myself when Rachel came to me a few nights ago. It was...fun.”
“I...” Peter scrambled for something to say, lost for words. “I, eh...” Flicking Ily a look, he finally found courage and blurted, “I drugged Ily without her permission. That’s why she reacted so strangely.”
Wait, what?
I studied her closely.
So that was why she fought?
Why we both snapped?
I snickered at the serendipity.
Victor got me drunk, and Peter got Ily high.
It seemed those two ingredients granted me the perfect panacea to be free.
Have to try it again sometime.
“I thought you did.” Victor nodded sagely, then turned to Ily.
“What did he give you, sweetling? And why did you react so badly? Only for my records of course. I have a vested interest in your mental and physical health.” He sighed as if it truly dismayed him.
“Tina kept things from me once, and it turned out she had a rare type of aggressive cancer. If only she’d told me sooner, I might have been able to treat her. ”
“Perhaps she took the sickness as her ticket to freedom?” Ily hissed. “There are far worse things than dying.”
Peter shot her a warning look.
“Yes, there are.” Victor nodded. “So I suggest you keep that in mind when I’m being so cordial and forgiving. I know you’re still new, and that fire of yours will most likely reemerge now that you’ve seen the truth of Henri’s lies, but I suggest you think long and hard about being argumentative.”
“You know what? Fuck you too. Fuck both of you.” Ily sniffed, throwing me a fiery glower.
My hand twitched, but Victor just snickered. “One day, my pet. One day. Perhaps even together.”
She gulped.
My temper prickled. If Victor thought he’d share an Ily sandwich with me, he would find I had a few terms and conditions if he wanted Q’s fortune.
“So?” Victor looked back and forth between the two jewels. “What was the drug that made Ily react?”
Peter balled his hands, well used to answering when asked. “It was psi—”
“Why?” Ily interrupted. “So you can use it as a weapon against me? Drug me each time I’m misbehaving?”
“That’s up to Henri to decide.” Victor shrugged.
“Or whatever Master is currently ruling you in the future. I merely want to know so I’m aware of what can kill and maim.
Do you think I intend to kill my jewels through allergies?
That the notes I have on Rachel and Colin with their peanut and sesame intolerances are a dastardly plot to murder them? ”
“I wouldn’t put anything past you.” Ily crossed her arms, not caring she stood naked or that my bloody fingerprints still branded her.
“I’ll take that as a compliment, and perhaps you should take it as a warning.” Victor grinned far too white and wide. “For now, though, I’m impatient to see if Henri can finally be trusted, so...I’ll find out another day.”
Patting Peter’s bare shoulder, he added, “I expect a fantastic treasure hunt tonight. And don’t forget. Good things come to those who accept their place and respect their Masters.”
“Yes, Sir V.”
“Good boy.” Victor’s hand dropped away. “I’ll tell my friends you’re out of bounds for now. You even have my permission to tell me if anyone disobeys that order.”
Peter’s cheeks pinked beneath his natural dusky tan. “Thank you, Sir V.”
“Run along now.” Dismissing him with a wave of his wrist, Victor pinned his eyes on Ily. “You see, my pet? See how generous I can be when a jewel has earned my affection?”
Peter gave her a tight grimace before he left and vanished into the castle.
Only once he’d gone, did she reply with fangs, “I see you using kindness as another form of control.”
“I don’t know if I prefer this real version of you or the one who was acting because she believed her new Master was a cop.” Victor chuckled. “You were so much quieter and amenable yesterday.”
“Yesterday, I believed in a lie.”
“Yes, I suppose you did. Pity that.”
Withdrawing a leather leash from his pocket, he tossed it to me.
“Bring her with us. If you are who you say you are, then I suppose you better keep her close. You have a long task ahead of you, Henri. You skipped straight to the obedient slave thanks to whispers and lies. But today, she won’t obey.
Today, she’ll fight, and I can’t wait to see how you’ll break her. ”
* * * * *
Ily’s mouth parted in unwilling awe as she stepped over the threshold of Victor’s office.
The leash tugged her collar, snaking its way into my palm as I guided her to the button-leather couch Victor had lounged on while I’d transferred two million euros.
I’d paid that money to be the one to fuck her on the maypole.
Now I was about to pay for the right to stay and fuck her for the rest of my life.
Funny that yesterday I’d had such qualms about even touching her, yet now I had overflowing urgency to touch her everywhere.
“Sit her down, Henri, and come here.” Victor pulled out the chair in the centre of his very long work area.
He didn’t bother powering up the four computer screens down one end or even flip up the laptop at the other.
He merely leaned under the desk, typed in a code with soft beeping noises, and a fortified drawer popped out.
Is that where he keeps the scrambler?
Curiosity flared. Not because I still attempted to live up to Q’s ridiculous mission but because cloaking this place with a dead zone of technology was rather genius. The thought that I’d never be online again was a small price to pay for peace.
Letting go of Ily’s leash, I pointed at the couch. “Sit down. Don’t move. Don’t speak.”
“I’m cold,” she muttered as she perched on the icy leather.
Her nipples had pebbled into dark pink ice-cubes the longer we’d walked through the stone castle.
Sunshine spilled into Victor’s plush office from the doors leading to his patio with snarling gargoyles and weeping angels, but the inner temperature of the fortress bordered on arctic.
“If you do as you’re told and aren’t a nuisance, I’ll get you something to wear when we’re done.”
She looked as if she’d spit some sort of slur but then she lowered her eyes and nodded.
My heart kicked at the obedience.
My cock thickened for—
“Henri. Now,” Victor ordered, fishing out a cell phone from the hidden drawer.
Giving Ily one last lingering look, I padded over thick gold carpet toward him. I no longer fought terror at being found out but slipped deeper into my new skin. “What do you want me to do?”