Page 18 of Muerte

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.

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