Next were her text messages. I’d viewed most of these already too. I clicked Anya’s name to re-read her thread and strongly began to lean towards making her a Progenitor. She wouldn’t be worth much elsewhere on the Isle.

  Almost all of her texts were about men. A few were sent trying to lure Lolita out to bars to meet someone she had known all of ten fucking minutes. Somehow in that short span of time, Anya deduced they would be a good fit for my future bride.

  "Come out and have a good time!" Anya had urged, her words accompanied by laughing and…eggplant emojis and tantalizing pictures of nightlife. A surge of disdain washed over me. How could Lolita ever have been charmed by such a superficial existence?

  In my mind's eye, I could almost see the scene: the overwhelming music, the mob of faceless people, and amidst it all, Lolita, being approached by random men. My grip on the phone tightened, almost cracking its case. I took little comfort in knowing Lolita never went and rarely replied beyond telling her friend to stay safe and not go home with strangers, which should have been common sense.

  Other than Anya, she didn’t talk to anyone. That made things easier for me. It took more effort to clip the wings of a social butterfly versus a lone one. I sat the phone aside and shifted my focus to mine. Lolita was making use of her limited mobility and exploring her surroundings.

  It felt almost criminal that a lens could capture but a mere fraction of her allure. The way her hair cascaded down her back, her full lips that held a hint of natural rosiness, the soft rise and fall of her chest as she breathed; everything about her was intoxicating.

  Her dimpled smile and expressive brown eyes had caught me off guard back at the resort. I wanted to be the sole reason she smiled. Just as I wanted to see how beautiful she was when she cried. This wasn’t a passing desire, but a profound, soul-deep yearning. I wanted her—every inch, every secret, every thought.

  I craved to be the only thought in her mind, the only desire in her heart. Now that she had come home, there were so many things for us to experience together. Years that needed to be accounted for.

  I checked the time again and began gathering up my things, powering off Lolita’s phone before I returned it to the confines of my desk drawer and headed to the conference room. I would destroy it later. She’d have no use for it anymore.

  My brother and cousin were already inside. As were my father, uncle, and two of my respective Tenebrarius. Rarely was I the last to arrive. I almost checked the time again to make sure I wasn’t late, but I knew that couldn’t be possible. It was them who had shown up early.

  The disciple who delivered our morning coffee bowed her head to me as she exited the room and pulled the door closed, giving us our privacy.

  “How are you?” my father inquired, pulling a small flask from his inner suit pocket.

  “Never better.” I sat my briefcase down and took a seat at the head of the large oval table, directly across from him.

  “And how is our girl?”

  “So far, she’s handling this rather well.”

  He nodded and poured a shot of whiskey into his coffee. It was the sign I needed to know that his mind was in a strategic tailspin. Otherwise, he’d have no issues saying exactly what he was thinking. It didn’t matter how it might be received.

  I’d been told countless times that I’d inherited his same scalding degree of bluntness, among other traits. As far as appearances went, I could almost be his doppelganger. The color of my eyes is what truly set us apart. I’d gotten little from my dear mother, whereas Emilio strongly favored her.

  I turned my attention to Phoenix and Osiris, the two men I trusted the most outside of my blood. I’d talk to Father later when we wouldn’t have an audience.

  “How did your Electi settle?”

  “It was a long night,” Osiris confessed, reaching for his cup of coffee.

  “I didn’t think it was too bad,” Phoenix countered amicably. “I’m more inclined to see how tonight goes, since she’s awake now.”

  I shared his thoughts on that, but Osiris’ Electi had woken during the ferry trip to the Isle and nearly thrown herself overboard. Of course, his morning had gone much differently from ours. Lolita could very well have a delayed reaction to her acquisition once she had more time to process everything. Right now, she would be disoriented, no doubt frightened, but I was prepared to deal with her however her mood swung.

  My uncle Corbin flipped open the folder in front of him and began to tap away on his tablet, until a spreadsheet was mirrored on the large projector that hung on the back wall. All conversation of the prior evening was put on hold, and we transitioned into the first priority for today’s meeting.

  I accepted the small glass of bourbon my father offered to me and settled into the leather chair across from his desk. My brother had left already for the day to handle a few additional tasks for me, so I wasn’t out all night. The sun had already begun to set. It would be completely dark by the time I arrived back home.

  “Are you going to tell me what you were thinking about so deeply earlier?”

  He looked away from his phone with a grin. “I sometimes forget how perceptive you are.”

  “Largely due to you.”

  “As much as I would like to give your mother credit, I have to agree.”

  “How is she doing?” I asked, taking a sip of my drink.

  “That’s what I was thinking about, partially.”

  “When do you plan to tell her?”

  “You just did it again.” He laughed and sat his glass down. “I’m telling her tomorrow. You and your brother will want to stay away from the house for the next few days. When Esther isn’t assisting you, she’ll be at your Aunt Gwyneth’s.”

  I nodded once in understanding. “Do you think she think she’ll handle it that badly?”

  “It’s reopening old wounds, but she knew this day would come eventually. Lolita belongs here; she always has. I’m more concerned with how she’ll handle the Rite ceremony.”

  That made sense.

  My mother had seen and participated in more than a few ceremonies when my father was acting Diabolus, but those were different. They weren’t for women she grieved or cared for.

  “Maybe some of the things you had me acquire at the trade show will help smooth things over.”

  “Why do you think I was so selective?”

  I laughed. “I’ll keep Lolita away until we’re ready for them to meet.”

  “I’ll find my way to her before then,” he replied, adding, “And then you and I are going to talk about how you’re doing with everything.”

  I accepted that without complaint.

  My father had such a relationship with me and my siblings that discussing our mental health had always been a positive thing. He knew it was important for our heads to be clear.

  We spoke about a few trivial matters as I finished my drink. Occasionally I pulled up the camera feed, always seeing Lolita in the same exact spot, sometimes in a different position. I didn’t like the forlorn expression that came and went from her face.

  I needed to go to her.

  “Are you staying longer?”

  “Yes. I’m waiting on a call and need to finish a few things.”

  I rose from my seat and began to gather my things. “I’m going to head back to the manor.”

  He remained seated, watching me closely. “It’s nice to see you getting what you’ve always deserved.”

  “My only regret is that it didn’t happen sooner,” I replied, exiting his office.

  CHAPTER SIX

  It was a quarter past ten when I finally walked through my front door. All the lights were off except for a few metal sconces that lined the wall. I made my way to the kitchen and sat my bag on the counter, fixing myself another drink before going to the guest room.

  Lolita didn’t startle when I opened the door. That was a good sign. I knew from watching the cameras earlier that after exploring as far as her restraint allowed, she simply sat on the bed facing the wall with the covered windows, that forlorn look coming and going.

  I wouldn’t be surprised if she were planning an elaborate escape that wouldn’t happen. I’d never let her leave me, not while her heart was still beating. Not even when it stopped. She turned my way with a wariness she tried and failed to hide.

  I carried my drink to the small chest across the room, taking note of everything. Her dress was a bit wrinkled, but aside from that, she looked just as beautiful as she had the night before. I felt her eyes on me as I moved. There wasn’t so much fear as there was apprehension. Given the situation, it was a reasonable response. She needn’t feel either, though.

  Not tonight.

  I had no intentions of making a mess of this beautiful woman until I could pin her beneath me, bending her body to my will. I dreamt of the day she would bleed and scream for me in mindless ecstasy.

  Knowing I wouldn’t have to imagine it anymore…

  Fuck.

  I took a generous sip of liquor and reigned myself in. I would not—could not—have her until after the first Rite was done. I took a seat in the wing-backed armchair angled towards the bed, not bothering with loose words of comfort despite my honorable intentions.

  “Did our servitor attend you well?”

  “Is that the woman who came in here?”

  “More or less.”

  She wet her lips and adjusted her position on the bed, a sign she was beginning to feel uncomfortable again. “A few lessons in hospitality couldn’t hurt.”

  There was a dry sarcasm in her tone I didn’t expect. I took another sip of my Balvenie to suppress a pleased grin. “What did she say to you?”

  “Nothing I understood.”

  “Then she said too much.”

  “None of it was helpful to me,” she doubled down.

  “So unhelpful you couldn’t find the will to eat?”

  She glanced at the untouched bowl of soup and then looked away, her expression becoming shuttered. “I wasn’t hungry.”

  I sat my drink to the side and stood. Her gaze flew to mine, and apprehension colored her features. I started to walk towards her, and she slowly moved off the bed.

  It was mildly amusing that somewhere in that pretty head of hers, she might’ve had the notion she would be able to prevent me from doing whatever I wanted. Even with adrenaline racing through her veins and the kind of power that came with desperation, nothing could save her from me.

  I reached into my pocket to retrieve my cellphone and held it up to convey I meant no harm.

  I moved past her and resisted the urge to reach out and touch every visible part of her soft skin. I knew once I felt her beneath my fingertips, I wouldn’t want to stop, and tonight wasn’t about that. I’d waited all this time to have her home. Holding out for another twenty-four hours would make it even more worthwhile.

  I studied the tray Kennedy had left. The bottle of water was empty, so she’d at least been somewhat hydrated. There was a small tinge of dark red on the end of the spoon. Other than that, it seemed the food was relatively untouched. I sent a text to Isaac and returned to my chair, enjoying the look of confusion on Lolita’s face. I could practically see the cogs turning inside her head as she tried to figure out what I was doing.

  Minutes later, a light knock sounded, and I called out for Kennedy to enter.

  Isaac opened the door and nudged her forward but didn’t follow. She was in nothing but a thin nightgown that left little to the imagination and her normally plaited hair was down. He had to have snatched her right out of bed.

  “Thank you, Isaac.”

  He touched the rim of his Breton and walked away to resume patrolling the property. Kennedy stood motionless, a neutral expression on her face.

  “Diabolus,” she greeted quietly.

  “Do you know why I called for you?”

  “It has come to my attention I’ve made a mistake,” she replied without hesitation, taking up her usual submissive stance.

  I had to give it to her, she’d always known how to play the role she was educated for. In the three years she’d served my household, I’d never had to reprimand or give her any warnings while other servitors came and went.

  This time, however, she did her part a little too well and chose to serve the wrong person.

  “Remove the tray.”

  She kept her head bowed and made her way around the bed. I reached for my drink and took another sip, allowing myself a moment to enjoy the smoky flavor. If I wasn’t watching her so closely, I would have missed the subtle look she sent Lolita’s way. They made eye contact for no more than two or three seconds, just long enough for me to confirm what I already knew.

  I waited for her to be back at the foot of the bed and then ordered her to stop. She came to an immediate halt, dropping her gaze to the untouched bowl of soup.

  “I thought I told you to make sure she had plenty of water throughout the day. Is there a reason you only brought one bottle?”

  “I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”

  So that’s how she wanted to play it. I finished my drink and moved to stand in front of her. She remained motionless, but her grip on the tray had turned her fingertips white.

  “You’re afraid.” I reached out and touched the side of her throat. Her pulse was throbbing. “No, you’re terrified.”

  She drew a shallow breath. “I hate to disappoint you.”

  “After all the time we’ve spent together, I’m beginning to think you find me cruel.”

  Kennedy shook her head and finally met my eye. “You are nothing but merciful, Diabolus.”

  I skimmed my fingers up the side of her neck, watching Lolita in my peripheral.

  “If you’re sure of that,” I paused and slid my hand into her hair, gathering it at the scalp. “Stop with this placating bullshit and tell me what you did.”

  “I didn’t serve her as I was meant to.”

  She cried out as I wrenched her head back. “You mean you disrespected her, which is the same thing as disrespecting me.”

  I grabbed the rim of the tray and pulled it away from her. Lolita flinched when the bowl shattered against the floor. She shouldn’t have had to see this tonight, but I needed her to understand that I wouldn’t allow anyone to get away with treating her as less than royalty. I released Kennedy’s hair and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her with ease.

  “I’m sorry,” she gasped, losing the last of her composure as I took away her ability to breathe. Tears began to slip down her cheeks. I let her struggle for a few seconds, keeping my grip firm.

  “Your apologies mean nothing.” I threw her to the floor and took a step back. “Clean this up.”

  Coughing and struggling to quiet her ragged breathing, she shifted onto her knees and reached for a piece of the broken porcelain.

  “What are you doing?”

  She froze but didn’t dare look up at me again. “Cleaning the mess.”

  “Start with the soup and use your tongue.”

  She hesitated for half a second before lowering her face to the floor. Slurping sounds filled the room as she began to vacuum the soup with her mouth.

  “Is this… necessary?” Lolita asked, sounding amusedly disinterested and disgusted.

  “I’m not making her do anything. She’s doing this all on her own, and she’ll keep going until I say otherwise.” I grabbed my empty glass and walked out of the room.

  After placing it in the sink, I grabbed a bucket from the utility closet and returned to the bedroom.

  Kennedy had gotten a decent amount of the soup up already. There was some in the ends of her hair, but most of it seemed to have made it into her mouth. I tossed the bucket down and nudged her with my dress shoe.

  “Put the broken pieces in here and finish up. I’ll be waiting in the kitchen. She still needs to eat.”

  “I don’t want anything,” Lolita objected, still watching Kennedy with a look on her face that was somewhere between pity and disgust. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that she didn’t speak on the servitor’s behalf or ask me to spare her.

  “It’s been over twenty-four hours since you had lunch. You need to eat something.” I didn’t give her a chance to rebut and left the room yet again, keeping the door open just in case Kennedy decided to be daring.

  I shot off a few texts and set my phone aside to wash my hands, contemplating what I could make for Lolita.

  I decided it was better to go with something light and simple so there was less chance of her stomach becoming upset. I was in the middle of chopping up fruit when Federico came around the corner. Isaac was with him.

  “Finally shipping er off, Diabolus?” Freddy asked, his thick accent laden with humor. There weren’t too many occasions where he wasn’t in a good mood. He’d been one of my watchmen since I was nineteen and it’d been the same back then.

  “I should’ve gotten rid of her when I did Clarice.”

  “At least you gave her a chance,” Isaac remarked, ever the voice of reason.

  “I didn’t allow her to stay out of kindness. I wanted someone who knew my routines and was familiar with the house.”

  I added another orange slice to the dish.

  “You’ll find someone new,” Federico assured confidently.

  “I’m not worried about that. There are more pressing matters to concern myself with right now.”

  Isaac looked past me, and I turned to see Kennedy had emerged from the hall that led to where Lolita was being held. At the sight of them, she became cemented in the doorway. She knew their presence could only mean one thing. Her eyes widened, and the bucket slipped from her hand.

  “No.” Her voice wavered, and she dropped to her knees. “Please, don’t do this.”

  How melodramatic. Who the fuck did she think I was to be swayed by her pleading? “Get her out of my house. They’re on standby at Carcerem.”

  I turned away and resumed fixing Lolita’s plate, paying no mind to Isaac and Freddy approaching Kennedy.

  She screamed and begged for mercy as they dragged her through the house. It ended abruptly after one of them knocked her out. The second she was gone, a tranquil silence blanketed my home.