Page 76 of Mistress A-0002

“You did this, Melissa.”

Back and forth I shook my head.

“I only did what had to be done.”

“That’s a lie. Calling me a rapist. Fucking me without my consent. What did that do for you?”

My smile grew bigger.

“It made me come.” I laughed, stepping back out of his reach. “I got what no one else ever will. I got you powerless.I got your love.”

Elec’s eyes narrowed into slits. He gave a hard shake to his shoulders, trying to break my hold. It had me stomping down my heel.

“You’re glued to that floor. You can’t stand until I say.”

“You’re wrong, but I’ll pretend for you.”

“Pl-ease,” I said, throwing him a look of disgust. “You were never more powerful than me. Clever, yes. I’ll give you that, but I own you.” I lifted my arm, bending my elbow to stare at my ownpalm. I tapped the back of my hand, testing my theory. “Now, you. Mirror me until I give the cue.”

A curse filled the room and tension left as Elec tried fighting my command. So much hate, but with how tied we already were, he had no choice but to obey. His arm bent, his palm facing him for only the seconds I kept mine lifted. I tapped my hand, and both our arms fell.

“Perfect. Just…perfect.”

“Enough of this. Answer me something. Why did you do it? Would she have come in the way of what you wanted from me? Did you think I couldn’t be a good Main Master if I had a wife? Why have me kill her like that? As my fucking rights of passage? That’s a special moment for our circle.A consensual one. They’re memories that we’re meant to embrace and cherish as we look back at how far we’ve come. And it never dawned on me before on why I didn’t have my memory concerning that night. Or even that Vivia’s death was tied into my tradition. You did that to me. You twisted my mind, burying important facts under the murder of a woman I loved.”

“Stop lying to yourself.” I lowered, crouching to stare into his eyes.

One snap. A double snap. One snap.

Elec’s lids grew heavy.

“You never loved her. That’s what you’re refusing to believe. You think you did, but you told me the truth. You loved the idea of what Vivia represented. Her family was influential. Not worthy, but that was taken care of eventually. I might have helped a little. Too bad I can’t take full credit. So sad her parents died as they did. Drinking. Driving.Boom.A line gone.”

“That was you?”

“Like I said, I can’t take complete credit. I could have with Braddock if you’d have just stayed out of it.”

“No, you’re not changing the subject. Back to Vivia.”

“Don’t tell me what to do. God, I hate that name. She was pretty. So what. She wasn’t beautiful, but you overlooked that for the money.The power.You’ve always been about the need to control. She wasn’t your ticket to the top. I told you that. Don’t you see? You asked for this, and I gave it to you. You wanted to rule, and I handed you something better than elite status. I handed over the key that would put you above the Whitlocks.Above Bram. It’s what you wanted more than anything. So Vivia had to die…big deal. You. Wanted. That.” My arms shot up, gesturing to our surroundings.“This!”

“No,” he whispered.

“Yes.” I stood. “I have no reason to lie to you anymore.Think, Elec.Think back and remember the morning of your passage. We talked about your path. I asked… ‘What’s it worth to you?’ You said, ‘everything.’. I asked, ‘even love?’ It took you nearly a minute to nod to me, but you knew what I meant. I gave you what you couldn’t ask for. You wanted to be the Main Master of a great new domain.You wanted it.So, I took care of what you couldn’t. I proved to the Council that you were worthy, and you were. I sealed your position. I gave youeverything.”

Wide eyes fought my persuasion through the remembrance. I could see the memories come flooding back through as if I were living in Elec’s brain.

“But—”

“No.” My head shook. “You wanted this. Even if it cost you her life. I did you a favor by making you forget. I made you stronger. I made you focused. It took a bit of adjusting due to your guilt and grief, but you did it in record time. Because you knew. You’ve always known: you never loved her. You wanted the baby,but it wasn’t her.”

“That’s—Not true!”

“It is!” I yelled back. “Stop denying what you know to be real. Lying to yourself is not going to help you regain any memoriesyou’re lacking. She was whiny. She was a spoiled, little, pouty bitch. You both fought all the time. You didn’t kill your child, she did! She couldn’t just stop running away from you and her father. She was dramatic. Selfish. Deep down, you couldn’t stand her!”

A growl went through the room, and Elec fell to all fours, his head dropping as he yelled again.

“Look at me,Main Master.”