Page 48 of Shai

“I do everything for you, Elijah. You know that, right?” Everything. I bit back another laugh. “I know.” My response must have been less than convincing, Shai continuing as if

I’d never spoken. “I supply you with Void. I regulate your dosage so you don’t accidentally overdose. I don’t give in to your pleading to have it early, even though you go on and on and won’t let the subject drop. I put up with you throwing yourself at my men like a cheap whore with barely a complaint. I ignore their mockery for keeping you around because they don’t understand our relationship. I fuck you when you demand it, even when I’m not in the mood. And on top of all that I send your sister considerable amounts of money—my money—just because you ask me to. What more do you want from me, Elijah?”

I sorted through the layers of fogginess, but drew a blank. “My sister? I

told you I have a sister?”

“Yes, of course you did.” Shai’s voice was laced with impatience.

“Several times. You constantly talk about your guilt in leaving her and your nephew to fend for themselves. You’ve been very vocal on the subject, even when I really didn’t want to hear it.”

I raised a hand to rub at my temple. Why didn’t I remember that? How

much of what had happened over the past few weeks was missing? “And you sent her money?”

“Yes.” Shai’s answer was short and clipped. “A lot of money. For you.

To make you happy. Although, apparently it doesn’t make you happy. Not in the slightest. I still have to suffer the silent treatment.”

Shai detached himself from me, rolling onto his back and then levering

himself to a seated position against the headboard. I didn’t want him to leave the bed. If he left, he’d probably go out, and if he went out, that meant longer waiting for my next fix. I rolled over so that I faced him, taking in the set jaw and stony look in his eyes. Given his level of irritation, he’d probably stay out longer just to teach me a lesson. I cautiously squeezed his thigh, the muscles rigid beneath my touch. “I’d… forgotten. Sorry. Things get… muddled in my head sometimes.”

The pause before Shai placed his hand over mine lasted an excruciatingly long time. “I know. You’ve become very forgetful of late, but don’t worry I’m always here to help you remember things.”

“Thank you.” Doubt set in. Could I believe him? It was easy to say he’d sent money to my sister. It wasn’t like I could prove him wrong.

“Do you want to speak to her?”

My gaze darted to his face. “Can I?”

He reached across to where his phone lay on the nightstand. “Of course. I have no problem with you talking to your sister.”

I held my hand out for the phone and he retracted his. “There are some rules, though.”

“Rules?”

He nodded.

“What rules?”

“You don’t tell her where you are. You don’t mention my name, and it’s probably best for everyone concerned that you don’t mention your little drug habit either. You don’t want her worrying about you, do you? Not when she has a child to bring up. Can you stick to those?”

“Yes!” I would have agreed to anything if it meant getting the opportunity to talk to someone outside the compound walls. Maybe if I showed Shai I could be trusted, he’d let me do it more often.

Shai unlocked his phone and handed it over. It felt strange in my hand. How long had it been since I’d last held one? McIntyre had taken my last one and I’d never seen it again. I stared at it like it was an object completely alien to me, scared that I wouldn’t be able to recall my sister’s number. But then, muscle memory kicked in, my fingers seeming to work independently of my brain and keying in a number, the phone starting to ring.

“Put it on speaker. I want to hear your sister’s voice.”

I did, Miranda’s familiar voice answering with a cautious “hello.”

“Miranda, it’s me.”

“Elijah!” Her voice held a mixture of surprise, relief, and joy. “Oh my God! Is it really you? I’ve been so worried about you. I told the police that I hadn’t heard from you in months. They weren’t interested once they found out what you do for a living. I didn’t get any more updates from them after that. Where have you been?”

I risked a quick glance at Shai, but he was giving every impression of

barely listening to the conversation. “I… ran into some trouble, but everything’s fine now.” It wasn’t fine. It was a long way from fine, but saying otherwise would break Shai’s rules.