Page 66 of How to Seduce a Slender

Melody sputtered. “Aren’t you supposed to be a lawyer?”

“I am.” He stroked down the back of her dress tenderly. What little of her skin he could see broke out in goose bumps. Smith absentmindedly kissed the top of her head. “And a good lawyer knows when to enforce a punishment. You are in no position to take a spanking, let alone me breaking your pinkie. No, I think we’ll call this a draw.”

Melody sniffled, rubbing her face against what would normally be his sternum. Smith made sure he was extra firm for her to press her face in. He had to clench his jaw to keep serious as she screamed into his chest. And she screamed harder. Over and over until he thought she might collapse from lack of oxygen.

Then she ripped her head back, tears having stained her cheeks but fire in her eyes once more. “I will drink the water and eat something, but on one condition.”

“Oh?” Smith quirked a brow, unable to hide his excitement. “We’re in a mood for negotiations?”

Melody glowered at him sharply before sitting up further in his lap. “Will you still tell me about yourself?”

About him? Smith didn’t know what about him she would even want to know. The desire to destroy anything about himself prior to the day he met her grew. But as he studied her face, the grip of fear in his chest loosened.She’s never been frightened by me before…

“I feel that is a fair trade.” He sat up with her, sitting her onto the cushion firmly like a petulant dog being told to sit. He cupped one cheek and the pout melted away to a deep, gutting sadness.She needs to eat.Melody wasn’t working on a full stomach nor full hydration, and it was getting late. She’d need rest. As much as he wanted to dig into what happened, there would be time.

And so Smith went back to work. Flitting out of the office, he cornered Dahlia in the kitchen. “My lady.”

“Smith!” Dahlia hissed, nearly beheading him with a kitchen towel. “Good, you’re home.”

“My apologies for the surprise, I need a favor.”

“Good, as do I.” She scowled, marching to the kitchen sink. Smith detected a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg in the air. Dahlia tended to bake when she was stressed. Smith glanced about the kitchen. Dahlia was clearlyverystressed. Two pies, a streusel, a bundt, and other glazed items littered the kitchen.

“Lady Rose—”

“Smith, I fucked up.” Dahlia whipped around on her heel, hands wringing the towel like a turkey neck. “I did that thing where I’m mean to someone because I love them. But unlike Sebastian, I think I was too mean. I think I hurt her. I think I really hurt her. And I don’t know what exactly,whichword it was that I said that hurt her. But now she’s in there, clearly working through something and if I go in there and Dahlia it up, I might…make it worse.”

At least that part was easy.Smith grimaced, “Melody has agreed to come out of the office and eat but it’s probably it’s for the best no one is around.”

“Like leave the manor?” Dahlia woofed with a bewildered look.

“No, as in not in the kitchen,” Smith snickered.

“Oh, well, sure, I can do that,” Dahlia flapped her hand with ire. “What does she want to eat? Is she hungry? She’s got to be hungry. I’ve made too much but…you know.”

“I do,” Smith exhaled. He’d need to pry what happened out of Dahlia later. “Why don’t you just reheat what was for dinner and leave it on the table. I’ll do the rest.”

The eldritch abomination wrapped up in a pretty elf nodded, going about reheating dinner. Smith removed himself before he lost the point of what he was doing.This is about tending to Melody, then I can get answers.

Chapter Twenty-Three:

Melody

“Dinnerisserved,”Smithpoked his head back into the office. Melody looked up from her lap. He strode up before her, offering uncovered hands. She couldn’t help the giant smile on her lips as she took them. Wonderful shivers trailed down her spine as he hoisted her to her slippered feet. Looping an arm through hers, the lovely, grounding hum of his was dampened. But she leaned into him and felt a hint of it below his clothes. It helped ease the panic that gnawed on her veins. Everything inside her was raw. Her throat ached, her back was sore, her legs were weak. She wanted nothing more than to collapse.

But then again, a girl really could eat.

Smith led her through an empty hallway with a raised candelabra. The rest of the wall lamps were either off or dimmed. Darkness made the hall lengthen before her.

“I started on my portrait for you,” she murmured into the night.

“Really?”

“I was in the middle of it when the Carl incident happened. I wanted to house it in a pocket watch. That way you could always keep it with you and not worry it would get damaged.” She glanced up and found Smith’s usual cloud of static cleared once more. Just a white visage, his mouth curled an inch to show a singular shark’s tooth. A shadow tendril brushed across her cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.

“That’s very thoughtful. I can’t wait for the finished product.”

Melody choked on her tongue, sputtering for a moment. “I don’t know how to finish my face.”

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