Page 19 of His Puppet

Begging.

“Wait,” I say, sitting up straighter. “Does that mean you’re not going to make me… You know…” I mean for the hope in my voice to be an act, but it’s real. I want to know. It’s enough to almost make me adjust my plan.

He doesn’t answer. He just stands there staring at me with that annoyed look on his face, like he’s waiting for me to answer his question.

Here’s my opportunity.

“Yes,” I say, my eyes going wide. I push myself up and stand, and my hands are out toward him when I walk his way. “Yes, I-I’ll do anything.Anything.” He recoils when I reach him, and he pulls his hands from his pockets. I fall to my knees dramatically, wrapping one hand around his waist while tugging on his suit jacket with the other. “I-I can clean and cook. I’m used to cooking for like ten people, and—”

“I don’t need a maid or cook. I’ve got those. Next.”

I lightly pat just above his ass while he talks. No gun. Nowhere on his waistline, at least. That leaves the ankles.

“I don’t know much about chemistry, but I do know people.” There’s so much desperation in my voice, it makes me want to puke. “I could find you customers, pull people away from the competition. I could even deal for you. Cops never suspect women. It would be better than the tourist ruse.”

Blade looks across the room while he thinks about that, and I pat his left shin, but he must feel it because his eyes drop to me, and he jerks his ankle away.

Fuck.

Here’s the issue with that. Once a person feels you, they’re more attuned to that part of their body. Now I have to wait.

“You have a point,” Blade says, his eyes on mine. I stay still and keep my hands in front of me. He nods like he’s decided something. “Okay, Emily. We may be able to work something out after all.”

He nudges me back with his foot. “Stand up.”

I hesitate and he narrows his eyes. “That’s enough of the groveling. Get the fuck up. Now.”

“Okay,” I say, letting out a long breath. I slide my hand down his right shin while I go to rise and hit gold.

A sheath.

He’s watching me too closely, so I raise up the rest of the way. “Sorry,” I say, sniffling and pointing my eyes down. Specifically, at that ankle.

Blade lets out a disapproving groan and puts his hand on my shoulder. He guides me back a foot, then turns toward the foot of the stairs.

“I’ll go get you some more water, and then we can continue talking,” he says. “Pull yourself together while I’m gone. I don’t work with weak people. I don’t care what gender you are.”

He takes a step away, and I only have a second to make my choice. To follow through or not to follow through. There isn’t enough time to heavily weigh the options, so I go with my gut. I act.

“Wait!” I say, grabbing his arm.

He turns to me with his eyes narrowed.

“Please. Don’t leave me down here. Take me with you.”

He pries my hand off him without so much as considering it. “You’re fine.”

Fake sobs burst from my mouth as I drop to my knees again and grab his pant leg with one hand while lifting his right pant leg with the other. I feel the sheath and search out the weapon with deft fingers, but I come up with nothing and start to panic.

“Emily.”

My eyes shoot up to Blade, and I don’t like what I see. His glare is gone, and he’s smiling.

With a flick up his hand, the tip of a knife peeks from his sleeve. “You missed my wrist.”

My mouth drops open, and I lift his pant leg in a swift motion, my gaze locking onto the empty sheath.

No.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com