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He’s the picture-perfect slave, and everyone is enjoying the view. Every weapon Nathan has on his body feels heavy and urgent against him. He wants to shoot and stab and strangle with his bare fucking hands until every fucker who looks at Carter is dead.
Instead, he sips his fucking champagne from his fancy ass champagne flute and keeps his expression bored.
“Nathan!” Nathan turns, raising an eyebrow until he sees it’s the host’s wife. Then he paints on his best charming smile and takes the hand she offers him, kissing her knuckles and shooting her a wink when she blushes. “It’s such a pleasure to see you! We’re so happy you could make it.”
“Excellent to see you as well, Jamie. The party is beautiful. I wouldn’t miss it.”
Which is partly true. Nathanwouldn’tmiss it. Two very important things need to happen tonight; Todd Henley needs to convince Miller that he’s on Miller’s side and willing to go after Nathan, and Nathan has to find a way to subtly plant seeds of doubt with one of Miller’s allies before extending a casual invite to his birthday celebration next month.
So much hinges on tonight. If something gets fucked up, Nathan won’t get a chance to see the ally again for another 4 months. Not unless he requests a meeting, which would be far too suspicious of a move. Even sending an invite to Nathan’s birthday party would be out of place if he doesn’t have a conversation like the one he’s planning to have tonight to support such an action. He would tip his hand, ruining everything.
“Oh good, you found your way to the champagne already,” Jamie exclaims, oblivious to Nathan’s plotting to take her and everyone she knows down.
“Did you doubt me?” Nathan asks, giving his tone a flirty lilt. It’s harmless fun. Jamie and her husband are the types of people who enjoy playing and teasing and having a good time, but at the end of the day, they’re hopelessly devoted to each other. So devoted, in fact, that Jamie helps her husband when he buys his slaves to torture them to death.
Jamie and Charles Kensington are in Nathan’s top 10 on his list of people he can’t wait to destroy when the operation is over.
If he has his way, their destruction will be particularly slow and brutal.
They banter for another minute before Jamie loops her arm through his and escorts him, Benny, and Carter over to their designated table. It’s the second table as far as status goes, the first being just to the left where Jamie, Charles, and their four closest friends will sit. “Here we are! Can I get you anything, Nathan?”
“I believe we’re good for now. Thank you.”
Her eyes flick to Carter, a mischievous twitch showing in her lips. “Anything for your slave?”
Nathan flicks his hand dismissively. He wants her to leave. Now. “The slave is just fine. Go on and greet your guests. I’ll come find you and Charles later.”
“Promise?”
“Of course.”
She winks at him before flitting off to speak to someone else. Nathan eyes the table until he finds his place card, then guides Carter over to the black silk pillow beside his designated chair. “Kneel here.Restposition.”
The boy moves effortlessly. It hurts Nathan to watch. The true Carter is clumsy and goofy, always getting flustered and doubting himself. The confidence would be nice if it meant Carter felt secure in himself, but that’s not it. This confidence is the one of a slave who knows all he has to do is follow orders and obey. It’s a confidence that comes from mindlessness.
Stomach turning, Nathan turns away from the boy and tries to forget he’s there. Benny takes the opportunity to sidle up to Nathan, their shoulders brushing as they survey the crowd. Nathan puts the rim of his glass to his lips to hide his mouth from anyone who might be trying to read his words. “Eyes on Miller?”
Benny tilts his chin towards him. “Not yet.”
“We don’t take a shot tonight.” Nathan takes a drink before shifting his body in another direction. He watches as someone sets their slave up on the stage. It’s a young woman. Somewhere around 18, if he had to guess. By the way her head is lolling to the side, she’s either drugged out of her mind, or struggling with a head injury. Nathan slides a fascinated expression on his face to mask his disgust. “Make sure our men fucking understand. No blood. This is a recon.”
“I’ll make sure the idiots behave themselves, don’t worry.”
“Have you seen Henley?”
Benny smirks. “No. But I’m sure he’s here somewhere. Kissing an ass or two.”
“Hopefully he’s wherever the hell Miller is.”
“It sounds like he was damn happy the other night.” Nathan looks over, eyebrows pulling together as he tries to figure out what Benny means. Benny’s eyes flicker toward Carter for half a second before returning to the stage. Nathan forces his gaze to do the same. The woman is being flogged now. A gag in her mouth keeps her from disrupting the party.
“What are you trying to say?” Nathan asks, carefully maintaining his casually amused expression as he pretends to enjoy the show.
“I spoke to him this morning, just to check in before the party. He went on for quite a while about how…satisfiedhe was.”
“Mmm.”
Benny scoffs. “Mmm?”
