Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Aspen opens his mouth but Uncle Karl stops him from digging his own grave.
“What I need is the money this piece of shit owes us!” He points at Dalton who hangs his head in shame. “It’s not just that he borrowed more than he was capable of paying off, but then tried to leave town!”
Fuck.
Goddamn it.
“He wanted to reach me,” I lie, looking straight into Uncle Karl’s eyes. “A mistake on his part, but I am ready to clear his debt. He’s not an enemy of this family. He simply panicked,” I say that so firmly for a moment I almost believe it myself.
He stalls, and it seems everyone in the room is holding their breath, including my teary-eyed mother.
“You will pay all of it? With several days interest?” Because of course he’s that petty. I stiffen, because even for me it’s not pocket change. And yet, are Dalton’s dick and my dignity worthy of such a high price tag?
Yes.
Aunt Juliana slaps his arm. “Karl! Stop it with the interest!”
He grumbles. “Well, he should pay all of it if he’s taking it on.” But then he turns to me again. “I still need to know what you were thinking was going to happen after you stole him from the hunt? He was our prisoner!”
“I figured I would just take him away. It’s not like he killed anyone. It’s just debt. He’s only here because you wanted more prey.”
Uncle Karl waves his arms around. “It would have come up if he’s your fiancé! What were you planning? To keep him in the basement for the rest of his life?”
I stall, annoyed I haven’t thought it through, but they don’t need to know. But keeping Dalton under lock and key would solve all my issues. He’d get to live in comfort, I’d get to have him, and the people who should never find out about my secrets wouldn’t be privy to any of that.
It’s bad enough that my family now has dirt on me. I hate it when my head refuses to provide me with a suitably evasive answer, but this time my mother comes to my aid with a tearful sob.
“I thought we tell each other everything,” she whimpers, hugging the empty mug to her chest. I really don’t want to argue, or throw the truth in her face at a public gathering like this one, but no, I definitely don’t tell her everything.
“I said I’ll pay, and what I do with him is none of anyone’s business. Are we done here?” I snap and to make my point, approach Dalton. I pull out his gag, and grab my knife to cut the rope, because I’m not asking Damen for help with the elaborate knots he decided on.
Dalton sighs in relief. “Thanks, I was cramping up a little.”
Damen shakes his head, watching us with a smug smile. “It would have been fine if you told us. There was no need for this circus.”
“I am holding a very sharp knife, you know.” I squint at him as Dalton stands up. Those tight red sweat pants leave nothing to the imagination. I bet everyone here is judging us. Judging me. They will make assumptions, and the next time we meet, I will have to fight off lewd gay jokes about the size of my ‘fiancé’s’ equipment.
My life would be so much fucking easier if I didn’t crave the things I do… I guess this is my punishment for losing control.
“Merry fucking Christmas everyone. We won’t be staying,” I say coolly as my mother sobs again. I’m usually more moved by her tears, but she’ll be fine. “Collin, please make the travel arrangements.”
I’m about to turn to the door when… Dalton hugs me. And gives me a kiss on the cheek. In front of everyone. I’m stiff as dried-up fruit cake, but this is good. This makes our ruse more realistic and easier to swallow. I slide my arm to the back of his waist. It feels… good to touch him again.
But without further ado, I slip out of the hug after a moment and head for the door. When I snap my fingers, Dalton follows.
“Make sure to pay tonight, or I will add another day of interest!” Uncle Karl yells as if the few thousand would make a difference at this point.
What a bitter old man.
Now I just need to establish the rules with Dalton, so he knows his place. Then everything will be fine.
Chapter 8
Dalton
I thought that during our trip back to New York we’d get to know each other better, go on a date during the layover, or maybe even fuck, since Corvus was clearly satisfied enough with my performance to keep me alive. That has to count for something.
Instead, he left me with their butler, and I got a more reasonable change of clothes. We then travelled in a helicopter and could barely hear one another over all the noise. On the private jet, Corvus slept the whole way through in some kind of relaxation pod I didn’t know existed. At least I got to have a nice meal on the plane, which after days in a cell was pure bliss.