Page 24 of Master A-0011
At my question, Ethan got quiet.
“Maybe me. Not in a way you won’t consent to. Or…” Again, he went silent. “Maybe you won’t want this. Not that you have a choice anymore. I’m afraid I didn’t leave you one.”
At his phone ringing, Ethan paused, holding his hand up as he stood and pulled it from his jeans pocket.
“Shit. I have to take this. Give me a moment.” He hit the button before I could answer, pacing but staring at me as he did. “Main Master. Yeah. I was about to.” A pause. “I’ve already contacted them. They’re preparing. I want the transition to be a quick one. I see no point in wasting time.” Ethan made an abrupt stop, tearing his eyes from me as a glare appeared. “I’m notoverlyrushing; I’m just not procrastinating on the little things. We’ve met almost every day and talked about this. We have a plan; I’m just putting it into action now instead of later.” His head shook but his shoulders went lax as he seemed to relax a little. “Of course. I’ve given it a lot of thought. I have a movie coming up and we’ll be filming internationally. I want to take her. To do that—” He nodded, and my heart was in my throat. His eyes came back to me, and the floor seemed to fall out from under my feet. “Marry her, I know.”
I was lowering to sit on the sofa, not able to stop the sickness swelling in my stomach. Hewasgetting rid of me. Marriage? He was getting married? He was serious with someone else? And he did that with me? It was merely taste, but…it was somethingto me.
It could have been worse.
The thought was a relief and a regret in one. I had no reason to feel rage or betrayal at a stranger, but I did. I had no rights. No say. The fear of abandonment I harbored didn’t care. I hadalways been quiet and passive, but the longer I stared at the man who fed me lies, the more the uncontrollable betrayal grew.
Had I really believed his looks of awe, his silent pleas of want, all those days he refused to talk to me? His display of want for me that first night?
Stupid, stupid girl.
I was the discarded.
The grotesque.
The epitome of embarrassment.
Cannibal, cheating, heart-killingliar!
My shoulders went back as I sat straighter. My head didn’t go down. I didn’t hide my scars as I stared coldly at Ethan. He saw my change. His lids flickered the moment I stuffed the pain down and let the anger win.
“Yeah. We will. I gotta go.”
He hung up, licking his lips as he headed back to take his seat. Immediately, he swooped in, spinning my knees in his direction as he turned his to mirror mine. I didn’t smile at the suddenly playful gesture or look down shyly. My expression was dry, and it had him looking more confused than ever. More…it was doing something tome.Feeding me. Making me stronger. Liar. Liar. Liar! I was nothing. Not pretty. Not special. No one.
“Pearl, what’s wrong? You’re clearly upset.”
“You’re mistaken, Master. I’m fine.”
His head tilted, and he slowly shook back and forth.
“You’re lying.”
“How observant. I guess we’re even.” The flash of surprise had my armor growing. “Just get it over with. When do I leave?”
Ethan crossed his arms over his chest. Seconds passed as bile built in my throat.
“It depends. A month. Maybe two.”
My chest cramped at the nonchalant tone. He truly didn’t care. Nothing. Nothing. Stupid, stupid.
I swallowed back the tears. I pushed away the hope that I’d finally found somewhere I could stay. With someone I didn’t have to hide from. That I had even found some sort of comfort with this monster only showed me how far gone I was. He made me believe. He ignited…hope. God, he’d dangled the most rotten, evil bait before me, and I had swallowed it down on command.Him…I wanted to stay here with him. Pathetic. Why, after what I knew?
“I’ll start packing, Master. I think it’s best that I wait out my time in the cells.”
“Cells?”
I shot to my feet, not waiting around to explain. I was shaking through the need to lash out. To do anything to cover the pain and shame.
Pressure grabbed my wrist as I shot by. Ethan stood, jerking me so hard that my body crashed into his. His lips crushed to mine and for the briefest moment I met his tongue with every childish dream I’d ever let seep through my brokenness. It was his moan that burned the fantasy to the ground, triggering my body into action. I tore my head back, slapping his cheek with a force I didn’t know I had inside me. The shock had both of us freezing. Tears raced down my cheeks, and Ethan let out a rumble that fed the burning flames inside. But not the ones of anger.
Fingers pushed roughly into my curls, fisting as he hungrily met my mouth again. The need to accept my status and submit did not exist in my moment. My teeth snapped down on his lip and blood washed over my tongue. It had him hissing and pulling back.