“More reason I should have her. I’m closer to her age than you, old man.”
Immediately, I feel worn out just listening to the banter—like a cloth between two wild dogs. Kade aggressively steps forward and I react without thought. I shrug out from underneath Vince’s arm and instinctively step closer to Master Kade. I freeze suddenly and I instantly realise what I’ve done… I panicked. I moved only to stop a fight from breaking out. I inch closer to Kade—as close as I can without getting in trouble for touching. An Unfortunate must never touch a Fortunate without permission. The knot of his black tie barely grazes the tip of my nose and my lungs burn as I hold my breath, trying to anticipate what’s going to happen next. I shouldn’t have moved. Shit. I shouldn’t have moved. Kade doesn’t scold me or hurt me—in fact—he doesn’t say anything, only presses the empty glass against my chest. Realising he’s giving me a way out of Vince’s punishment, I take it and step away from him. I put the glass on a passing tray. The Unfortunate carrying the tray stops and I exchange the empty glass for a full one. The Unfortunate male doesn’t look at my face, only at my chest. His beady, black eyes practically burn through my fabric, twisting my stomach. I’m the only Unfortunate dressed so provocatively… and I hate it. I angle my body away from him, giving the glass back to Kade. Lucky for the Unfortunate, Master Kade doesn’t see his prying eyes, and before long, he’s gone.
Vince bares his teeth in an evil scowl as I stand behind my Fortunate. “How dare you move?” he growls. “You’ll be punished for your defiance.”
“She didn’t defy you—she was filling your brother’s drink,” Michael said, sighing. “And she’s his toy, not yours. Leave her alone, will you?”
Vince’s dark, cold stare zeroes in on the both of us before he turns around and storms off without a word.
“Take it easy on your little brother. You know he’s a collector of pretty things.”
“Destroyer of pretty things,” Kade rebuts, raking his fingers through his short hair.
“Don’t judge your brother so harshly, Kaden. You’re no good, either.”
“Compared to him? I’m so good you should start referring to me as Angel.”
His dad nods with a slightly proud smirk. “And he used to wonder why you never let him play with your leaf collection.”
Beside me, I feel Kade tense. Henry laughs and nods with large motions of his head.
“I remember the leaf collection. Kade was a good kid. Vince? Not so much—always hiding under tables to see up the women’s skirts. Always starting fights and crying wolf—that kid hasn’t changed a bit.”
These are the things they talk about? Hobbies and family? Some of us have never had the pleasure of either. They don’t appreciate anything they have and I would rather die than be a part of their world. I open my mouth to scold them all. “Y—”
Kade presses his new glass into my chest. The ice cold liquid pushes over the lip and soaks through my dress, making me shiver.
“Give this to Portia to clean and then go to bed.”
I frown. Give the glass to Portia to clean when there’s a tray going around collecting empty cups? Where’s the sense in that? I peer up at Master Kade and his eyes flare with warning. In that glance I see he’s protecting me from saying something stupid, which poses the question, why? Doesn’t he want to punish me? Doesn’t he want an excuse to get back into the exact same situation we were in earlier?
“Don’t send her to bed. I want to look at her a little more,” Henry complains, drawing his wine glass to his lips and peering at me over the rim.
“Yes, Master Kade,” I say. I take Kade’s half full glass and step away. When I turn around, I come face to face with another Fortunate. Thankfully, it’s not Vince this time.
“So this is Nine,” she sneers at me, subtly pouting her lips in an unfriendly way. Unfriendly? Of course she is. Why’d I expect anything less from a Fortunate? Her blue eyes rake me up and down. When she’s not making eye contact, I take in her tight red gown. I’ve never seen a dress so striking. It hugs her subtle curves before falling off around her feet and pooling in a mess of fabric. “You’re not as pretty in person.”
“Elizabeth,” Kade warns her. “The girl is going to bed.”
Her thin lips quirk at the corners and she flicks her bouncy blonde curls over one shoulder. “Run along, then.”
Forcing a polite smile, I duck my head and stroll away as quickly as I can. It’s obvious the claim she has on Kade and I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. If she sees me as a threat, she can eliminate me, it’s as simple as that. As far as I’m concerned, she can have Master Kade. If he gets her, perhaps he won’t ask things of me.