Page 78 of His Black Onyx

Malia sucks in a sharp breath of air, her eyes disbelieving.

"But... what if it doesn't work, and what if-"

"We'll talk about this," I cut her off, placing my hand on her shoulder as I send George a reassuring look. "Alone."

Malia stops speaking, but she's breathing rapidly and looking visibly distraught at the information she just heard. Her uneasiness spreads through the room like a virus, infecting everyone with a seed of doubt that we don't need right now.

Big George and I exchange a quick look that tells me he agrees with my assessment. We need to approach this matter in baby steps, as much as we can. Laying it all on her at once is not a good idea, and I don't want to mess with the newfound confidence that's been carrying her through this up until now.

Malia regards me with skepticism when my hand closes around her upper arm, and I add a subtle pull to my gesture.

"Come, I'll take you back upstairs."

She doesn't pull back or hesitate to follow me, obviously in a hurry to get out of the room, and I don't blame her for that.

"Nate. A word," I hear Daveed's voice behind my back as we're just about to leave the room. I turn around to meet his stern gaze as he waves me over to come to him.

"Alone," he adds with a dismissive glance at Malia.

"I'll watch her," Mike adds. He is already standing next to us, and a little too close for comfort.

I meet him with a suspicious frown, silently warning him not to lay a finger on her, before stepping aside and watching as he escorts her out.

"Don't be so stupid," Daveed sneers next to me, pulling my attention toward him.

"What's your problem?" I ask, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I glare at him expectantly.

"What the hell are you doing?" he barks back at me. "You're fucking her, aren't you?"

"That's none of your business-"

"Yes, it is my business, especially if it puts our mission in danger!" he cuts me off. "Why the fuck would you get involved with her? How could that be a good idea?"

It's not, and I know that. But Daveed is the last person on the planet to whom I want to talk about this.

But I have to tell him something, if only to get him off my back.

"Don't worry," I say. "I have this under control. Didn't you see her just now? She has changed, hasn't she?"

Daveed tilts his head to the side, his eyes watching me quizzically as he tries to figure out what I'm trying to say.

"It's all part of the plan," I explain. "We need her to go along with this, right?"

He nods, but a deep furrow appears between his thick eyebrows.

"We need her to be compliant, and the easiest way to do that is to gain her trust," I go on. "Women are easy to train in that regard, trust me. They turn into obedient mistresses, completely under your spell—if you know how to make them come on your cock."

A dirty smirk spreads across Daveed's face and he offers an approving nod. It is still laced with a hint of doubt, but at least now it is overshadowed with a disgusting kind of comradery.

I hate speaking about Malia this way. It doesn't feel right, even if it's just a story I tell a Covey henchman to get him to stay out of the way.

But the worst part is that I'm not sure whether I'm lying or not.

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