Page 21 of Lost Petal

Chapter 12

J

“Please. Don’t make me.”

Her words are music to my ears. But they don’t have the effect she desires.

On the contrary.

“This is not about what you want, Petal,” I tell her, still holding her pretty face locked in place with just the tips of my fingers. “It only matters what I’m willing to offer. Do you understand?”

There’s only one correct answer to my question, but judging from how she’s fared so far, I don’t expect her to be able to remember it.

She proves me right by pressing her lips together and refusing to answer anything at all.

That’s okay.

She’ll learn.

“What did I tell you?” I probe, giving her a chance to correct herself. “How are you supposed to answer me?”

Confusion flickers across her expression and a slight crease appears between her eyebrows.

“You really don’t remember?” I want to know. “Or are you just stubborn, Petal? Which one is it?”

She bites her lower lip as if to prevent herself from speaking. I wish I knew what’s going on inside that beautiful mind of hers. It angers me that there’s no way for me to access her thoughts. All I’m left with is eradication. I can empty her mind, but I can’t read it.

“I can’t remember,” she whispers eventually, her eyelashes fluttering nervously. “I can’t remember anything.”

Her body tenses up, trembling in fear as she awaits my response. She doesn’t know the difference between disobedience and incomprehension yet. The latter won’t get her punished, and if she’s telling the truth, that’s the one stopping her right now.

She could be lying. Even in her weakened state, she could be lying to me, because she’s too proud to bend to my will. But I want to believe her. I want to believe that my Petal is merely lost and not a stubborn brat.

“When I ask you a question, you’ll respond with ‘yes, master.’ That is all,” I lecture her. “Do you understand?”

Her face is blank, hiding whatever emotion my explanation might have evoked from her.

“Yes, master.”

The words are forced, and her voice so feeble that I can barely hear them. But for now, it will suffice.

“Good girl,” I praise her, noticing the praise doesn’t elicit the reaction I hope to see from her one day.

Elation. Pride. That flicker in a girl’s eyes when she pleases her master.

It will look divine on her, but I know I must be patient until she reaches that place.

I let go of her chin, observing as her eyes immediately rush to the floor, away from mine. For a few moments, I just look at her, taking in the sight of my little Petal as she tries to cope with this place of potential. Her struggle is obvious, even without her speaking to me. She’s beginning to understand that rebellion won’t get her anywhere, but I can’t tell what conclusion she might draw from this.

Will she just give up entirely, or will she try to play me? So far, I have reason to believe that she opts for the latter. What she did with the sandwich was unlike anything I ever anticipated. It’s the reason why I’m here with her right now. I went against plan by opening that door and marching back inside after Malia left the basement. And I hate that.

She made me do that. Petal has so much more power over me than she’s aware of.

So much more power than she should have.

Her eyes wander across the floor, eventually finding their way back to the tray where she piled the ruined food in a messy heap.

“I won’t make you eat it,” I promise, addressing the unspoken concern that’s evident in the way she regards the pile of wrecked food.

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