Page 45 of Dark Elf's Good Girl

My fingers dig into the front of my thighs, but I don’t move. I’m too busy trying to think of a way out of the situation. How is it the one time I want somebody in this house around, they’ve all vanished?

Did they set me up?

The idea makes my blood run cold as I realize that even if I screamed, none of them will come. Why should I expect them to when they wouldn’t care if another elf fucked me? Like he said, I’m a toy and somehow I’ve tricked myself into forgetting that.

“I don’t believe Master Calix would appreciate sharing his merchandise.” It's my feeble attempt at getting out of the situation.

The elf only laughs, his eyes dancing with mischief. It’s not cute like it is when Aiken’s golden eyes light up. When I can tell that he’s thinking about pushing me, teasing me, I get excited.

I wouldn’t even mind if he was the elf backing me up against the wall right now. Something about him is different from all the others. I want to be his toy.

But it isn’t Aiken right now reaching out to grab my hip with one hand. It’s not his gentle touch, pushing me back so that I’m trapped beneath his body.

It’s a stranger I have no escape from. Fear grips my throat until I stop breathing.

He plants his hand right next to my head, leaning so far forward that our foreheads nearly brush against each other’s. “I don’t think you know Master Calix very well then.” The way he says Calyi’s name makes me realize that this man is not a friend.

It’s even more terrifying to know that one of their enemies is here alone with me.

I suck in a shuddering breath. “I think I do,” I dare to argue. I cock my head to the side, fluttering my eyelashes and trying to appear as innocent as possible. “I’d say I know him really well.”

It’s not true, but he doesn’t need to know that. I’m hoping it’ll be enough to get me out of the situation. It might be enough to save me.

Instead, the hand not planted on the wall next to my head, teases the edge of my tunic. The rough feel of his fingertips against my skin sends bile up my throat.

“You can get to know me better.” I look past him at the partially open door, praying that somebody will walk in here. “I’ve known calyx for sometime. He won’t mind. Why else would he have left you here all alone?”

I suck in a deep breath through my nose. “The mistress will be back any moment. She just stepped away for a moment, and she will be very upset to see that I am not cleaning. I need to finish.” A soft laugh escapes me as I smile up at him, trying to seem more relaxed than I am.

His grip on me only tightens.

“I think she’ll forgive you when you’re too broken to clean.” The smile falls off my face, and his grin widens. “That’s right,” he purrs. “You’re at my mercy now.”

My heart really stops in my chest. Gods save me.

18

AIKEN

“What were you thinking?” my brother demands. My fists ball inside my pants pockets where he can’t see them, though he can see that I’m working my jaw. That should give him pause, but either he’s not paying enough attention or he just doesn’t care. “I’ll tell you what you were thinking. You were clearly thinking you valued your life too much to pull such a stunt!”

I scoff. I’m not sure when my brother got such a complex. It’s clear to me that my family still underestimates my power. As if any of them could end my life if they tried.

“Calix,” I snarl. It’s a warning he’s treading into dangerous territory and normally I let him go that far but I’m not going to today. “I was helping. I didn’t ask to come to that meeting. You requested me. Don’t complain when my methods don’t agree with your ideas.”

My voice is low, dangerous. But again my arrogant brother is acting as if he can’t hear that.

“Those aren’t your methods!” He throws his hands up like he’s frustrated. I want to snap at him, to tell him that he has no reason to be upset. I am the one that’s been pushed around my entire life. He’s throwing a tantrum like a toddler. “You know how to negotiate.” Calix shakes his head. “That was not a negotiation.”

“Fear is a negotiation tactic.”

My eyes stay trained forward as we continue down the hallway, but I see him turn to look at me out of the corner of my eye. I don’t acknowledge his gaze, though I do start to feel the anger come off of him.

Normally, I would ignore it. But right now it is brewing an inferno inside of me. He tries to puppet my life, like being an older brother means I am his property. Then again Calix thinks everything is his property.

I am no one’s.

My teeth grate together as I try to give a measured response, but like always, Calix can’t tell when he’s pushing me too far. My brother is always one to poke a deadly animal and have someone else fight it.

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