AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mary.”
“Mary. Thank you.” I smiled and angled my body so that I could fit the tray through the door without hitting the grandfather clock that stood directly to the right of it.
“You are not one to drink on the job, Oberon,” I said with an abundance of warmth, anything to needle him. For I supposed him as equally patient as I and therefore ready to play whatever game proposed. But he would not see the fissures on my soul tonight. So I gripped the tray harder than necessary, allowing the sharp, intricate details of the handle to cut into my palms and centre me. “But I appreciate your offer of a small glass of what I’m sure is an excellent vintage. My nerves, I admit, are shot. Shall you clear space on your desk or would you prefer I put the tray on the floor? Your people have chosen the largest and grandest tray in your possession. I’m nothing but a weak omega and my strength—”
“Your tactics were always underhanded, little bird,” he chuckled not looking up from the ledger spread out before him. The sound was rough, like his throat was unused to laughter. He glanced in my direction, a sardonic tilt to his mouth that might be considered a smile on another. “But—”
The word cut off. He’d seen my cheek, which throbbed horribly and had developed an unpleasant sting. “Oh, this? A nasty bruise will bloom across my cheek. Like a pear, if you will. Quite hideous. ’Shall you be mortified to be seen with me?”
“Yes, you seem to have done injury to my property,” he purred as he stood and prowled towards me, his eyes never leaving my face. Blood pounded in my ears and the world slowed. If I took a step towards him, if I surrendered an inch, I lost. He must come to me. He must always be the one to come to me if I had any hope of leaving here whole. In the end, the tray was the only thing to halt his progress with the soft clink of crystal. Still, he kept walking until my back hit the door. A frisson of excitement teased my senses. How had he turned the tables? He did as I wanted, I inexplicably had lost ground. A curse was on the tip of my tongue when he shushed. “Oh, sweet Hippolyta, do not think I will ask for a refund. The goods were perfect when I purchased them. This.” He traced the air above the bruise. “I am sorry it happened under my watch. I should have kept you under better watch.”
He thought to get a rise from me. That I’d object to being treated like a bauble. He forgot he was but an alpha, and I knew better than to react to his cutting words or careless utterances.
“The tray is heavy,” I replied, breathless.
“My apologies.” His eyes grew shuttered, and he stepped back, taking the tray with him. Without a thought for the scattered letters, a penknife, pens, bottles of different coloured ink, and more besides, he set down the tray and its contents. “Would you care for a glass? We have much to discuss.”
“How would you like the two thousand?” I asked from where I stood. “I’ll write to my banker—”
“I’ll not take your money. That was a… distraction.”
“If you say so.” I gathered my skirts and moved to sit in the same chair as before. We both knew it was to a ploy to gather my thoughts. “My body, I suppose? You’ll want to breed me?”
“You must think very little of me. I might peddle in flesh but my whores love the work they do. I did not have to buy their services. Rather, I provide a structure for them to practice their arts.”
“Oh?” I smiled. “I am to believe you will extract no payment for the information that will save my sister’s life and the life of one of our favourite people?”
His jaw clenched briefly before he went about the business of pouring out the wine. When he offered mine to me, he made a show of letting me take it from him without having to touch him.
“Would you like to punish Sarah or shall I? Unless she worked on your orders?”
“Not my orders.”
He picked up his glass and held it high so that it caught the light. “We are at an impasse. Talking in circles until we know how tonight plays out.”
“There are many moves yet,” I agreed, drank deep, and set the glass on the desk.
“True.” He set his glass down and refilled mine before handing it back to me. “But your mind will be on your sister’s wellbeing and that of Sarah. I do not wish to have a distracted Hippolyta. When I bring you to your knees, when you realise that the game has played out and you the loser, though I hope by then you see the advantages of my win, then I—”
The door bounced on its hinges and Prog came in with a shout for Moth to unhand him. “Majesty! Polly. No. Do not stay here.”
“Go home, Prog. The house needs cleaning and for the windows to be locked tight against those with light fingers.” I refused to look anywhere but at Oberon whose still face showed not the slightest change at my henchman’s sudden and loud arrival. I needed to keep an eye on my opponent and stop Prog from seeing my injury. “And say a word to the ass about what’s taken place here and I’ll have your berries.”
“Savage, my dear.” Oberon’s eyes glittered with humour. Oh, that it was an unattractive man before me rather than one whose visage fascinated me to distraction. “A man’s berries, as you call them, are precious.”
“Damn you.” Prog snapped at my order for him to return to Omega House and guarantee its safety. Then softer, as he had when my heart had broken fives years ago. “You take too much on your shoulders, little majesty.”
“Out.” The one barked word from Oberon had us all jumping. “She sold herself to me. And I do not like my possessions talked down to.”
“Talk down? To the queen of the high toby? She—”
“She’s right here and perfectly capable of deciding for herself.” I hated how much it meant to me that Prog would speak on my behalf. Yet another weakness for Oberon to use against me and mine. But, I reminded myself, I had the trump. Tod.
With a muttered curse, Moth ushered him out and once again I found myself alone with the devil.
“Ah, I forget my manners. I offered you a late supper.” He rang a small bell and Mary came in with a bobbing curtsy.
“Dinner for two. Here.”
