Page 42 of Mistress A-0002

“Who the hell is that?”

I released his cock to ease to my feet. I didn’t move. I couldn’t as my actions filtered back through.

“It’s for me. I texted my slave on our way up. Go to the bedroom and wait for me.”

My words were soft to my ears at the thought of her. Fragile? I sounded so far away as I peered up to Adrian’s lustful eyes.

“I’ll be waiting.” He turned to leave, stopping to look at me over his shoulder. “Undressed. Is that alright?”

I nodded, watching a hint of a smile appear before he headed into the bedroom. Only when the door shut did I head for the front door. When I pulled it open, Muriel shifted, the nervousness clear as she glanced up.

“You needed me, Mistress?”

“Yes, come in.”

Dark hair was pulled back from her face. I couldn’t help but take in the pale blue dress, vibrant against the softness of her neck. The area called to me. My gaze lingered, wishing it was her neck I was burying my face in. But I wouldn’t do that anymore. I wouldn’t take comfort in a woman who clearly thought bad things about me. And she must, given the expression she’d worn over Jett. Nothing I did could erase the shock and disgust from my mind. She thought I was a bad mother. A bad person. My father had thought I was bad too. She couldn’t be trusted anymore.I did my duties.My children had had itall. It wasn’t my fault if they made bad decisions. I hadn’t ordered them. They were adults now.

“I will not be home tonight. I guess I have you to thank for that.”

“Melissa. Mistress?—”

My hand shot up. “I haven’t been able to look at you for days, I expect others to think badly of me. They’re jealous. They can’t help themselves. But my own companion?My own slave. You’ve known your importance from the beginning. I chose you, andyou chose me.To follow. To take care of. You know the rules. Obey. Submit. You signed the contract. You agreed. You should be a mirror of me after all these years.A piece of me.” My head shook. “I now see that can’t be true because you didn’t choose me. You picked him. A troublemaker. An embarrassment.”

“He’s your son.” Her lip trembled. “He is part of you. I am part of you.I love you. I love him because of you.”

Muriel surged forward, grabbing my hands as she fell to her knees at my feet.

“I love you. All parts. All ways. All the time.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, and a sob escaped. “Don’t you see? I only didn’t want you to hurt.”

“Hurt? How?He hurts me. You know that. You’ve seen it. And now, they’ll say what you clearly thought. That I’m a bad mother. That I couldn’t even raise a child right. After this, the rumors over the LaRoe name may never die.But he will.And maybe you will too. You don’t love me. You’re only saying you do because I saw the truth. Maybe you’ve been using me the entire time to try to get to my son. You’re not that much older than him. Less than ten years. Maybe I’ve been the fool.”

“What?No.” Her head shook back and forth. “You can’t seriously think that. I’d never—I don’t even like him! You’re taking all of this the wrong way.”

“The only thing that’s wrong is the time I’ve wasted thinking you were different. I should have known not to trust you. The repulsion you showed?—”

“Not repulsion. Mistress, please. It was shock at the situation. It was fear that losing your son would destroy you. You told me in the room, if you wanted Jett killed, you’d possibly make me do it. Tell me. Order me,” she begged. “I don’t care about Jett. It’s you. It’s always been you.”

I didn’t have to snap or click to know Muriel was telling the truth. I could see it in her glassy eyes as she tried to hold in the sobs that so clearly came with her panic.

“Is everything okay?”

I glanced to Adrian in the bedroom doorway, but Muriel’s gaze never left me.

“You said you loved me?”

Hands wrapped around my calves, and her face came to rest inches above my knees as she bent forward, leaning her forehead against me.

“Mistress, you have to know I do.”

“I brought you here to die.”

A sob. Tighter, she held on. “I don’t want to leave you. Melissa, please.”

My stare lifted back to Adrian, despite my fingers curled around the crown of Muriel’s head. Arousal had my breath deepening, and with it, I reached for her ponytail, fisting it as I squeezed and pushed her face harder into me. Still, I stared at Adrian. But it wasn’t him I spoke to.

“I’m so angry at you. I can’t trust you.”

“You can,” she rushed out, muffled.

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