Page 79 of Servitude to Serpents

For a moment.

None of it exists.

She smiles, that wide smile that crinkles her eyes. “Don’t be sorry, just fuck me.”

I do.

Chapter twenty-nine

To own is to… Affirm

Chloe

Master caned and took my ass for trashing my room, and I loved every second of it. The only trace of the woman I saw after that was when I peeked out of the kitchen windows and watched someone pressure wash her blood off the pavement. Master had scooped me up, coddling me away from the gruesome cleanup scene. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t upset by what I’d done, not after the initial shock. I was, though, terrified Master would be even more cross with me. It appears to have had the opposite effect. All’s well that ends well, I suppose. I’m by his side again, where I should be.

I nuzzle against his thigh as he eats lunch, reading over some final travel plans. I don’t care what they are, only that this time, I’m coming. Stuart glares at me from over the top of his newspaper as Sir offers me a bite of my food. The flavor of maple candied bacon over chicken bursts on my tongue. Things aren’t where they were before. Arm’s length would be too close for how he’s keeping me, but I’m no longer spending my days stalking the halls and sobbing. I eat my mealswith him again, allowed time in his office, although it’s limited. I have more daily chores than ever. He seems…more tense, a far cry from the way he was after I killed that woman. His real estate agent, apparently.

“Pup.”

“Yes, Sir?”

He swallows hard, laying down the papers in his hands. “The event is tomorrow night. I’ll need your help there.”

I pause, nodding up at him. “This is the lead Andres gave you, right?”

“Yes.”

“How can I help?”

He hesitates, his fists clenching. He doesn’t get to open his mouth before the chime of his phone interrupts. “They started the conference early,fuck,” he hisses, making me jump before he leaves his seat, gesturing for me to fill it. “Behave.”

I just nod, staring after him as he pauses in the doorway. “Oh, and Pup… Stay away from the snakes.”

My lips part as he leaves, Stuart only remaining long enough to glare before he follows him out.

I last until nighttime before I try to find him again, before the pulsing hole in my chest starts to ooze and fester. Those bizarre, violent thoughts batter my brain like hornets.

I’m only halfway to his office before Henrietta stops me. “Oh, I was just looking for you! Sir has tasked me with readying your attire for tomorrow’s event.”

I stop, glancing toward the wide doors before letting her guide me into my room. “Master is usually the one to dress me.”

She shoots me a small smile, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t strike me assympathetic, the way you smile at the man raving about the government putting a tracking device in his ass via flu shot. “He gave me a note dictating the outfit himself. You even have a new necklace.”

Necklace?

“Collar,” I correct, because there’s no point in not calling it what it is. This woman has seen me bound, gagged, and stuffed in all states of undress. I have no shame, not like there was at first, the tinge of embarrassment that comes with publicly being collared and treated like a pet. In fact, the role of his dog suits me quite well, I think, but maybe I’m biased.

Or insane.

Likely both at this point.

I did kill a woman and feel quite indifferent about it, which certainly isn’t normal.

She pulls out the garment bag, giggling with excitement as she lays it out on the bed to open it up. I can’t help but smile at first—a smile that leaves the moment the zipper fully exposes the dress. A sick feeling pools in my gut as she pulls out the garment. “This isn’t the right one.”

Her excitement snuffs out just as quickly as mine had.

I’ll need your help.

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