Page 66 of Fallen Saint

But I smile shyly in response. “Thanks. I wanted to dress up. I was hoping it would cheer me up.”

“Oh?” Alek frowns, waiting for me to elaborate.

I take a moment because I don’t want to appear too eager. “I know it makes no sense, but Saint has been my…?????p for so long, I feel lost without him.”

One wrong move and Alek will have my head, so I play it cool. “I wanted to be honest with you.”

He nods as a slow grin spreads from cheek to cheek. “I know it must be hard for you. You’ve come to rely on him.”

“I have,” I confirm, my lower lip trembling.

“Which is why I had to let him go. You understand that?”

“Yes, I know.”

“Because you’re mine. Not his.” This is a complete power play for Alek to feel like a big man. So I give him what he wants because it means I will win in the end.

“I am yours,” I say, blinking once. “And I know you want to make me happy…which is why you brought…Kenny here.” His name gets lodged in my throat, but I persevere. “I never thanked you for doing that for me.”

Alek tilts his head to the side as he strokes his chin, deep in thought. He is clearly gauging my sincerity. But when I think about Saint, about him telling me to do what I must to survive, I play the role Alek has wanted me to this entire time.

“Thank you.”

He continues watching me as he rolls back in his chair, leaving a small space in front of him. “Come.”

I walk toward him without hesitation but with baby steps. Up until a few minutes ago, I was fighting Alek every chance I could, so I need to do this slow. He wants me to kneel, just as I’ve seen Zoey do many times before.

With Saint gone, he is now my ?????p, and I am to treat him that way. But submitting to this asshole stoops me to a new level of shame.

Alek is testing me because I know it’s going to take a lot more than a wiggle of my ass and a few sweet words to win him over. So, without choice, I lower myself beside him and kneel. I do exactly as Saint taught me.

Head bowed. Eyes downcast.

I wait for him to see straight through me and send me to wherever he sent Zoey to be punished, but he does neither. Instead, with a touch I could almost mistake as tender, he runs his fingers over my hair.

“A crown,” he says in a faraway voice, stroking over my headpiece. “It’s fitting. For my queen.”

A sadness overcomes me because although it seems I’ve achieved what I wanted, what price do I have to pay?

“Do you miss him?” There is no need for him to elaborate who.

“Yes,” I whisper with sincerity because god, I do.

“That’s expected,” he says, not at all angered. Which is the reason I kick-start my plan into action.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but—” I pause with intent, enticing Alek.

He takes the bait. “What? You can ask me anything.”

With my head still bowed, I softly reply, “Would you allow me to move into Saint’s old room? I think it will help with the nostalgia. I must learn to move on, but he was all I knew.”

I measure my breathing, not wanting my nerves to show.

Alek takes his time as it’s clear he was not expecting me to ask him this. But there is a reason, and it has nothing to do with nostalgia and everything to do with Saint’s room being camera free. If I’m to do this, then I need free rein. I can’t be watched 24/7.

Just when I think he’s going to say no, he surprises me and has me wondering if maybe this will work. “Of course. It makes sense. Saint was your ?????p. You will always share a connection with him.”

I nod slowly.

---