by Tara Thomas
“Elise,” he said, thinking he might as well try to reason with her. “You’re a beautiful, successful woman. You could probably have your choice of men. You don’t need me.”
“You don’t get it, do you?”
“Apparently not. Why don’t you try to explain it to me?”
“You’re a Benedict, I’m a Germain. Our families are powerhouses separate, but together we could rule the world.”
“Yeah, see,” he said, “I have no need for world domination.”
“Of course you don’t. You’ve never been aware of your full potential. That’s what makes Kipling so mad. You have everything you need and you simply don’t care.”
How fucking dare she. “Don’t bring Kip into this. I know for a fact he’d never want me to marry without love.”
She laughed as if he’d just told the funniest joke she’d ever heard. “Love? Honestly, Keaton, you sound like a teenaged girl. Your concept of marriage is so old fashioned. Marriage is about alliances, power, and bloodlines.”
“You would set aside love and marry for power?” He knew there were people like that and that not all marriages were rooted in love, but after feeling what he did for Tilly, he couldn’t imagine settling for anything other than his soul mate.
“I’m quite fond of you, but I don’t believe in love.” Anger flashed in her eyes again. “But don’t take that to mean you can keep on fucking Tilly once our engagement is announced. That shit stops now, understand?”
“Understand what? I just told you I wasn’t marrying you.”
“Because your thinking is all messed up. You’re convinced in happily-ever-afters and rainbows and unicorns. Why do you think the divorce rate is so high? I’ll tell you. Because everyone’s bought into this ‘love conquers all’ BS. If people would just be a bit more logical, everyone would be much happier.”
“I think that has to be one of the saddest things I’ve ever heard.” He didn’t want to think about how he might have actually agreed with her before Tilly came back into his life. But now that she had, he knew better. He knew love was real and, more than that, he knew he didn’t want to live without it. “And if you truly believe that, you have to be the saddest person on the planet.”
“Is this about sex?” she asked. “I think you’re confusing love and sex. I may not love you, but I think we’d have a lot of fun in the bedroom.” She slipped her robe off one shoulder. “Come here and let me show you how good it could be.”
Before he knew what she was doing, the robe had slipped off the other shoulder and fallen onto the floor. In less time than it took him to blink, Elise stood naked before him.
He refused to look anywhere other than her eyes. “Put your clothes back on.”
“Grow up. This isn’t about anything other than biology. I spread my legs and you use your dick to make us both happy.”
But it was so much more. He wanted to shout it. Biology was cold and clinical and if that’s what Elise thought sex was, he felt sorry for her. However, he wasn’t going to be the one to show her the difference.
“God, you are such a child,” she finally said when he still refused to look below her neck. She bent and put on her robe. When she finally looked at him he was surprised to discover she no longer looked angry, she looked resolved, which, frankly, worried him more.
She methodically went to each candle and blew it out, turning on a lamp as she passed it. And when she spoke, there was no emotion in her voice. “I’d hoped you’d see things my way after I explained everything to you, but I see now that I misjudged you. You’re actually far weaker than I imagined. My offer still remains, though, if you decide you’d like to change your mind. If not, you can’t say you weren’t warned.” She shooed him away like a fly. “Go on. Get out of my room.”
“Elise.”
“I mean it. Now.”
He didn’t like leaving her the way he was. She seemed almost dangerous. He had the strange feeling that he shouldn’t turn his back to her. But after what he’d just told her, he couldn’t very well stay in her room.
She stopped in the middle of the room and stared at him. He had the feeling she wouldn’t move again until he left. He turned and walked out of her room, knowing he’d done what he had to, but also feeling as if he needed to watch his back.
He still felt odd when he made it to his room and found Tilly still reading in bed. She looked at him with a million questions in her eyes, but he found he couldn’t answer them at the moment. He held out his hand. “Come walk with me? I have to get out of this house.”
Relief flooded him as she simply nodded and took his hand.
* * *
Jade sank back deeper into the shadows when the couple she saw at the shelter stepped outside into the lush garden that surrounded the massive house. She had one job to do. Kill Tilly.
She couldn’t do it.
Once upon a time, she believed every word the Gentleman said and she was so starved for acceptance and love, she’d do anything he asked without question. After all, the Gentleman was her God and you didn’t question your God.
But little by little, she became aware that he was all too human and she started questioning him, if only in her head.
She didn’t like the answers she found.
She wished she could ignore her strange fascination with the Benedicts. She wished she could be honest and talk to The Gentleman about it.
But he’d be angry and though she knew he’d never take his anger out on her, he’d take it out on someone and her conscience couldn’t handle any more guilt at the moment. Unable to ignore it and unwilling to share, she chose instead to stay and watch.
All her life, or as far back as she could remember, she’d been taught that the Benedict family was evil, a blight on humanity, and needed to be taken down. But standing in the shadows of their garden, watching the youngest son and his girlfriend, they didn’t look evil.
She of all people, however, knew that evil had many faces and most of them were pleasant, but she couldn’t stop thinking that something wasn’t adding up. How could the couple in front of her be evil when all they wanted to do was help people?
Even now, the way they acted toward each other showed nothing but love and kindness. They walked holding hands, their heads together as they spoke softly. She was too far away to hear what they were saying, but based on their body language, it wasn’t evil.
The younger Benedict son had been upset about something when the couple walked out. He seemed better now; the occasional giggle could be heard from the woman. Once, she’d even heard Keaton chuckle. He looked down at the woman at his side and said something that must have been sweet and tender. The woman reached up and touched his face.
Jade lifted her hand up to her own face. No one had ever touched her with so much emotion. Nor had she ever touched anyone with such tenderness.
Nothing about them or this place appeared bad. On the contrary, it seemed warm and inviting. Part of her wanted nothing more than to be a part of it. Part of her wanted to walk up the long stone drive and be welcomed inside. The only thing was, if they were warm and inviting and good, then everything she’d ever been told was a lie and she wasn’t ready to believe that just yet. She couldn’t believe that.
She was still pondering that when the couple started kissing and shortly thereafter, made their way back inside. She was one breath away from leaving her hiding spot when a nearby movement made her freeze.
From her right side, a woman cursed and appeared from the shadows. Someone else had been watching the couple just like she’d been. She had the feeling the woman didn’t find the scene warm and inviting. Even in the darkness, she could see the anger on the stranger’s face and feel the heat of her hatred.
The Gentleman would not like it if he found out that Jade had been unable to detect someone beside her. He’d tell her he was disappointed and that he’d spent too much time and energy and money training her for her to perform so poorly. Then, because he refused to punish her, he’d
torment someone in her place and make her watch. She couldn’t be part of that again, so she made up her mind, standing in that garden, that The Gentleman would never hear of her failure. Not from her.
Jade couldn’t explain it, but she had an overwhelming urge to protect the Benedict family from this unknown woman. She tried telling herself it was because if anyone was going to bring them down, it was going to be her and not some stranger who showed up from who knew where, but deep down, she knew that wasn’t the real reason.
The real reason was she wanted a chance to see if warmth and family and love truly existed.
Either way, she was going to find out what this woman who also watched from the shadows wanted.
CHAPTER 15
The next Saturday, Tilly went with Keaton to the downtown offices of Benedict Industries. Much to Kipling’s delight, Keaton had picked out an office space. He’d asked her to help him decorate, and though she knew nothing about interior design, she’d jumped at the chance to help.
“I thought you didn’t have any experience decorating,” Keaton said in a half-teasing, half-serious tone of voice, after she’d shot down his third choice of paint color.
“I don’t,” she replied, ensuring her tone matched his. “As it turns out, I’m just really, really opinionated.”
“And bossy,” he said, this time smiling. “Can’t forget bossy.”
“I thought you agreed with me that the second color you liked looked like dried snot?”
“Of course I did.” He was walking toward her slowly with a predatory grin. “How could I ever see it as anything else after you so eloquently described it?”
“And this last one reminds me of vomit.” She pointed to the brownish orange color she hoped he’d been joking about liking.
“Does everything come back to a body fluid for you?” He’d reached her now, and grabbed her from behind, kissing the back of her neck.
“No,” she said, reaching for the perfect color swatch. “I call this one ‘happy.’ It makes me smile when I look at it.”
“Hmm. It is a pretty color, but I wonder if it’d be better suited for that office.” He pointed to the office adjoining his that was also currently empty.
“Your admin’s office?”
“No, I’m not going to have an admin.”
“Oh?” she asked, with mischief in her eyes. She knew he was up to something, but obviously had no idea what.
“I’ve been thinking.” He turned her to face him and ran his hands up and down her arms while he spoke. “You don’t have to give me an answer today. And I don’t want you to feel any obligation or pressure to say yes.” He took a deep breath. “After you graduate next month, I’d like for you to come work with me.”
“What?”
“I know you’ve been planning to teach and you brought up wanting to do afterschool tutoring. But I know you and I know you’d be the perfect partner for me and the charity division of Benedict Industries. You have such a kind and giving heart, but you know your mind and you refuse to be swayed or talked into something you don’t think is right. At least say you’ll think about it.” He dropped his head to whisper, “If you say yes, I have the most perfect paint color in mind for your office.”
Truly, she hadn’t thought about not teaching. For the last few years, she’d not even given thought to doing anything else. But she couldn’t deny that the idea held a lot of appeal. She’d be able to help so many people as an employee of Benedict Industries. That was what she wanted to do, help people.
“There have to be a lot more people who are way more qualified than I am.”
“I don’t know their hearts. I know yours and you’d be perfect.” He kissed her forehead. “But don’t feel like you have to give me an answer today. Take your time. Think about it.” He pulled back. “Would you like to see your office? If you take the position, that is?”
“Trying to sway me?”
“Whatever it takes.” The predatory grin was back and he reached out to take her hand. “I think you’ll like it.”
They had almost made to the empty office when her phone buzzed with an incoming text.
“Ignore it,” Keaton whispered.
“I can’t,” she said, reaching into her pocket for her phone. “What if it’s someone important?”
“I’m not important?”
“You are, but … oh my God.” She checked the number to make sure she read it right. She held the phone up. “It’s Bea.”
What does she say?”
She read the text. “She needs to talk and wants to know if I’ll meet her at Benedict House.”
Keaton was frowning. “I talked to Knox last night and he still hadn’t heard from her. She’s not returning any of his calls or messages. Do you think this is a positive sign?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t know her all that well. I can’t imagine it’s bad that she wants to talk, you know?”
“True. Are you going to drive?”
She’d met him at the office after school so they each had a car. He’d convinced her a few days ago to drive one of the extra cars the brothers had in their garage at home.
“Yes, and when Bea and I finish talking, I can come back here and help you.”
He laughed. “Text her back and tell her you’re on the way.”
Five minutes later, he was kissing her good-bye and helping her into the car. “Text me if you can to let me know how it’s going.”
He was so excited. Tilly hoped the talk with Bea went well. As she drove off, she felt the weight of the expectations of all three Benedict brothers fall on her shoulders.
* * *
Jade’s phone buzzed with a text. Damn it, what was it now?
Her irritation turned to dread as she read:
He wants you in his office in five minutes.
There was no question as to who had summoned her, only why. She made it to his office in three minutes and flashed his admin a smile. The fact that she didn’t return it told her all she needed to know.
With her heart pounding in her throat, she lifted her hand to knock.
“Come in, Jade,” he called from the other side of the door before her fist struck the wood.
She cracked the door open and slipped inside, hoping against hope she’d misinterpreted why she was here. But one look at the scene set before her crushed that hope into a million pieces.
One of The Gentleman’s hired thugs stood in the back of the room. His arms were tied above his head by chains from the ceiling. He glared at her. She forced herself to be still, not wanting either man to see her flinch.
The only good news, if you could call it that, was that The Gentleman sat in a chair, facing away from his hired hit man. She’d been in this room and in this situation enough to know that meant he wasn’t going to kill the suspended man. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t wish for death before it was all over.
“This is Tom,” The Gentleman said. “He’s the one who sent Bea to the hospital. He did a great job. In fact, I’m going to send him out soon to finish the job. But first we have to deal with your actions. Tell Tom why he’s here.”
Damn. Shit. Fuck.
She curled her fingers into a fist so tight she felt her nails dig into her palm. It would do her no good to either play dumb or beg him not to hurt Tom. She’d done both in the past and the outcome had only gotten worse the more she protested.
“I went to Benedict House,” she said.
“Yes,” The Gentleman replied. “And you were supposed to do something and you didn’t. Tilly Brock is still alive, isn’t she?”
Because she was so conflicted every time she thought about it. Had she been fed a lie her entire life? She didn’t know. And why was she questioning things now?
“Yes, sir,” she said. “Send me back. I can do it. It won’t happen again.”
But she knew it wouldn’t. Even now, standing in this room, she felt the urge to go back to the tall gates that surrounded the massive house, but not because she plann
ed to kill Tilly. The house drew her. She frowned. Or was it the people within?
“Lies,” The Gentleman spat out. “You tell me lies after all I’ve done for you. After I saved you and brought you into my house. After I treated you like my daughter. After all that, you have the nerve to stand before me and lie?” He took a deep breath and for the first time ever, Jade knew fear when she faced The Gentleman.
“Know this, Jade,” he continued in a voice so cold, so soft, and so devoid of emotion, its very sound crept into her soul and possessed her body. “If I didn’t still have need of you, if anyone else on this earth could do your part, you would be the one in chains in my office.”
“Yes, sir,” she said in a broken whisper.
“Watch,” he commanded.
Tom’s eyes looked wide and frightened. She kept her eyes on him, knowing she had to or else it’d be worse for him. She knew she appeared cold and distant to him, but she had no choice. Once, she’d made the mistake of mouthing I’m sorry to the person taking the beating for her.
The Gentleman had ensured she was truly sorry.
She’d been afraid once of what the men who took her punishment would do to her once they recovered. When she was thirteen, one of the men told her to watch her back. The Gentleman had slowly risen from his chair and turned to face the man. Just thinking about what happened next caused her stomach turn over.
“Begin,” The Gentleman said, settling back into his chair to watch Jade’s face. From the dark hidden corners of his office came two men. They didn’t hold anything. They didn’t need to. They could break a man with their bare hands.
Jade tried to zone out, to get to her happy place, but as thud after thud fell and Tom’s grunts turned into howls of pain, she lost her way. And in that one instant, everything became clear. There was no heaven. There was no happy place. There was only hell.
And she was its queen.
CHAPTER 16
Keaton couldn’t get Tilly to reply to his texts. It shouldn’t bother him. Hopefully, it meant her talk with Bea was going well and maybe he’d turn around in ten minutes and see them walking into the office.