Page 25 of Body and Soul

“You don't have to do that, Eli,” I said, my voice gentle but firm. “You're a guest here.”

Eli glanced up at me, platinum hair falling across one eye. “Please,” he said softly. “Let me.” I recognized the need in his voice—it was the familiar, unspoken plea of someone who needed to feel useful, to prove their worth.

I studied him for a long moment, taking in the determined set of his jaw, the hopeful gleam in his eyes. Slowly, I inclined my head. “Very well. I appreciate your help.”

Relief washed over Eli's face and he ducked his head, gathering up the rest of the dishes.

I left Eli to his task and retreated to my study, Gavin following close behind. As soon as the door closed, I let out a heavy sigh, sinking into the leather armchair behind my desk. Gavin took his usual place standing at my right hand, his posture perfect, hands clasped behind his back.

“He's a natural submissive,” Gavin remarked, his tone clinical and detached. “The way he jumped to serve you, the relief on his face when you allowed it. He craves direction, structure, purpose.”

I nodded slowly, steepling my fingers beneath my chin. “But he's been through a lot.”

I thought back to Eli at dinner, the warm light softening his sharp features. His delicate, graceful movements held a quiet allure—beautiful, vulnerable, and broken in ways that called to something deep within me.

I drummed my fingers against the smooth mahogany of my desk, my thoughts circling endlessly. Eli's presence in my home had awakened a hunger in me, a deep-seated need to guide and control. To shape and mold. It was a familiar ache, one I had felt with previous submissives. But with Eli, it was different. Sharper. More intense.

Perhaps it was the knowledge of what he had endured at the hands of the Children of the Light. The same cult that held my sister captive. In Eli, I saw a chance for redemption. A way to atone for failing Daniella by saving someone else from the cult's poison.

But even as that noble intention solidified in my mind, I couldn't deny the darker motives that lurked beneath. I wantedEli for myself. Craved the rush of having that delicate, damaged boy kneeling at my feet. Of watching him shatter beautifully and then putting the pieces back together. It was a selfish desire, one that warred with the part of me that recognized Eli's fragility. His need for true healing, not another master.

Gavin cleared his throat softly, dragging me from my spiraling thoughts. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit I have concerns about bringing Elias into your service.”

I gestured for him to continue while opening the bottom drawer to bring out our favorite cognac. “You know I welcome and value your opinion, Gavin.”

Gavin inclined his head in acknowledgment, his gray eyes sharp and assessing. “Elias’s well-being isn’t my only concern. I worry what his presence might stir up in you—the challenges we’ve faced before.”

I poured two tumblers of cognac, the rich amber liquid sloshing gently. “You mean Keres and the others,” I said.

“Yes. Keres in particular—you know how he gets. Driven by appetite, no regard for limits or consequences. Incredibly possessive.”

I took a slow sip of cognac, savoring the burn as it slid down my throat. Gavin was right, of course. Keres had grown stronger over the years, harder to control. There was a part of me that feared what he might do if let loose on someone as fragile as Eli.

I looked at Gavin, meeting his steady gaze. “I understand your concerns. Truly, I do. But I can't turn my back on Eli. Not when I know the hell he's escaped from. The same hell that still holds Daniella.”

I drained the rest of my cognac in one swallow, relishing the fire it lit in my veins. “I'll have to be careful. Keep Keres on a tighter leash. Eli's needs come first—his healing, his recovery. That has to be the priority.”

Gavin sighed, but nodded. “As you wish. I'll do what I can to help, of course. Perhaps we could start by assigning Elias some regular duties around the house. Give him that sense of structure and purpose he seems to crave, without pushing him into a true submissive role before he's ready.”

“An excellent suggestion,” I agreed. My mind was already racing ahead, considering how best to help Eli settle in and begin to flourish. “We'll take things slow. Let him adjust to being here. And watch him carefully, for any signs that it's too much.”

“And the Children of the Light?” Gavin asked, tone sharpening. “Your plans for them?”

A muscle ticked in my jaw. “Those plans remain unchanged. I will tear that cult apart, root and stem, until I have my sister back and every last one of those twisted zealots is either dead or rotting in prison.”

Gavin drained the last of his cognac and set the tumbler on my desk with a soft clink. “I'll take my leave then. But Shepherd... be careful. Don't let your desire for revenge against the cult blind you to the risks of taking on a submissive as damaged as Elias. Tread carefully.”

I inclined my head in acknowledgment, even as a wry smile tugged at my lips. “When am I not careful, Gavin?”

Gavin snorted softly. “I think we both know you have your blind spots, especially when family is involved. Don't let Elias become one of them.”

With those parting words, Gavin saw himself out, the heavy oak door of the study closing behind him with a muffled thud. I sat in pensive silence for a long moment, turning his advice over in my mind, examining it from every angle. There was wisdom in his warning. I couldn't deny that. But the pull I felt toward Eli, the need to guide him, to possess him, to remake him... it was undeniable. A craving that coiled hot and insistent in my veins.

I found myself rising from my chair almost without conscious thought, drawn inexorably toward the kitchen where I had left Eli. I paused in the doorway, something in my chest clenching at the sight that greeted me.

I leaned against the doorframe, silently observing as Eli bent over the sink, his slender hands submerged in soapy water. He had removed his oversized hoodie, leaving him in a thin white t-shirt that clung to his lithe frame.

As I watched him work, a quiet sense of rightness settled over me. Seeing him here, absorbed in this simple task, he looked vulnerable yet comfortable. As if he belonged here. Under my care.

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