I let out the smallest exhale as we stop in front of Kade’s door and clench my fist before finally tapping my knuckles softly against the wood. In a fit of impatience, Vince reaches around me, grabs the handle and pushes the door open. It swings with a vengeance and slams against the wall. In a slow, unbothered movement, a half-naked Kade turns his head towards us. I take in the scene before me. Kade lies on large cushions smoking a pipe in front of a crackling fireplace that casts a beautiful, luminous glow around the room. He eyes Vince and me closely. The look is enough to set me on edge and my hands begin to tremble.
“There you are, Unfortunate,” he states finally. My spirits lift, my eyes widen and appreciation floods my tummy. I knew he wouldn’t throw me to the dogs, or dog, rather. “Did you get lost?”
I nod, overeagerly. “Yes, Master Kade.” I step closer. “I’m sorry.”
With a bored sigh, Vince leaves and fear begins to grow roots in my belly once again. I stand still as he draws his pipe to his mouth and inhales, all while his eyes lock on to me. The long, thin glass pipe is the width of a human finger then round, like a bubble. I drag my eyes down the pipe to the small embers that flare and burn the grass at the bottom. Ten seconds pass before he lowers the pipe and blows out the smoke. I watch as it swirls in mesmerising patterns in front of him.
“Come in.” I step inside and a small twitch pulls at the corner of his lips. “Shut the door.”
Trembling, I reach out for the handle and push the door shut. Of my own accord, I lock it. I don’t want Vince to come back.
Kade’s eyes narrow in. “Sneaking around the manor at night… do you have a death wish?”
“No, I—”
“—what do you want?” he asks, almost bored.
I guess he’s still mad I made him ruin his pants. I almost smile at the memory of how useless he was to stop it. I had his body under control. I owned it.
“I’ve come to see if you need any company.”
He turns his attentions back to the fire. “I would’ve called you if I needed company.”
“No, you wouldn’t have.”
Silence falls between us. The only sound to stop it from being deafening is the lulling crackle of the burning wood. “Come. Sit.”
I do as I’m told and make my way over to him as quickly as possible. This is where I want to be… in here with him. I feel safer. I always feel safe when he’s around. He gave me the benefit of the doubt tonight. For all he knows, I could’ve been walking around looking for an escape. I lower myself onto a large, red cushion beside him and he hands me the pipe. A distinct lesson blares in my head. ‘Drugs of pleasure aren’t meant for Unfortunates,’ and so I shake my head at him. Kade’s volcanic eyes narrow in and he draws the pipe closer to my mouth.
“I promise you’ll like it.”
I swallow hard and recall the last time he said that to me. We were alone and it was right before he blindfolded me. The last time ended well so why would I say no this time? With minimal hesitation, I lean forward and put my lips around the warm, smooth glass. The taste of trees and dirt tickle my tongue, numbing the area. There’s a gleam in Kade’s eyes, an arousing, naughty gleam, so I inhale and hold, letting the smoke caress my throat and burn my lungs. Instantly, my head begins to float, feeling completely unattached from my body. Almost instantly, I begin to pulse in hot waves between my legs. The waves then intensify when I feel Kade’s rough hand on the inside of my thigh. His hand feels like a million tiny, vibrating nodes and I close my eyes. I inhale more smoke, loving the way my head swims and my fears slip away from me. And suddenly, I no longer exist… which is really hard for me to wrap my head around. I mean, I exist, I can see Kade and my surroundings, but I feel light and… invisible. In this moment, I’m no longer an Unfortunate, but a human, equal to Kade. I don’t fear him… I crave him. I crave his mouth, his skin, his tongue, and his hands. All of it.
I want it.
I open my eyes and he’s watching me with the same lustful expression that is undoubtedly displayed on my own face. I blow the smoke out and he lowers the pipe, letting it drop to the floor with a slight thump. We watch each other, neither one making a move. It’s quiet—dead quiet—and I hear my heart drumming in my ears.
“Careful, Unfortunate,” he murmurs, his hand stilling on my thigh. “If you keep looking at me like that I’m going to have to do something about it.”
“I didn’t know empty threats were your style,” I say, almost breathlessly. They haven’t been so far.