Page 102 of Elicit (Decadence After Dark)

Can he be any more vague?

I catch Amber rubbing his leg as he drives, the affectionate gesture causing me to feel ill.

“How can you be with him knowing what he did to me? Knowing what kind of monster he is?” The questions are like poison leaving my lips.

Amber turns to me, her long black hair and big brown eyes shining under the passing streetlights. “You can’t not love someone for who they once were. You can only love them for who they are now.”

How very poetic. She has no idea who he once was. I’m not convinced he’s a different man. If Jett was unaware of Alistair’s ulterior life, how can Amber be so certain he changed? That he’s who he says he is?

“Oh, really?” I reply to her naïve reasoning with disdain. “You must like it when he drowns you while you fuck or beats you with a bamboo stick when you don’t swallow his dick deep enough.”

Amber passes an apprehensive look to Alistair, and he shifts uncomfortably in his seat. That’s right motherfucker, squirm. I won’t hide any of your dirty secrets. I’ll tell Amber every single one without an ounce of remorse.

“You can hate me for what I did.” Alistair glances back at me through the rearview mirror. “But you were my best work. My most prized pupil. It’s why Jett took to you so quickly. You possess the true makings of a bona fide submissive.” His chilling accent slips through, and my skin crawls.

“You didn’t mold me!” I shout, causing Amber to jump. “You took an innocent young girl and broke her!” I yell outraged.

My outburst doesn’t seem to affect Alistair one bit. “I don’t see anyone broken in this car,” he responds evenly, our eyes locked in as he fixates on me in the mirror.

Spitefully, I slip back into the leather seat, a ball of raging emotions.

“Give it to her,” Alistair says to Amber.

Oh, Christ, give me what? Amber reaches down and produces a large tan envelope.

I take it cautiously.

“Relax, it isn’t a bomb,” Alistair mocks.

I stick my tongue out at him.Fuck you. I’ll never trust you or anything you give me.

I open the envelope containing four strands of white pearls, a cell phone, and a handwritten note.

London,

I see you when you think no one is looking. I catch your glances and sighs. I read your reservations even though you think your confidence overshadows them. I always look beyond the surface, and when I do, I see you. The real, raw, vulnerable you.

One day, I’ll tell you these things.

One day, you’ll be more than just a woman on her knees who thinks her face doesn’t stick out of the crowd. You don’t know how you resonate to me.

One day, I’ll tell you.

One day, I’ll declare.

But today, I’ll keep our emotions safe. I’ll hold them in my heart and protect them with my life because when they are released, oh little bird, when they are released, we’re going to fly . . .

I’m sure you want to murder me right now. But I’m asking you to trust me one last time. I know I’ve hit my quota on requests, but please believe I have only ever had your best interests at heart. Always remember, my beautiful little bird, there’s you and me, and then there’s everything fucking else.

I’ll see you soon.

Your Jett

I clutch the pearls in my hand as I re-read the note several times with tears brimming.

How soon is soon, Jett?

It’s been three days since Alistair and Amber whisked me away from Mansion. I went from one beautiful confinement to another.

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