You suck all the excitement out of life if you give away all your secrets, and I had plenty to go around. In due time, I’d let a few accidentally slip out.

I led Katie down the hall, pretending I wasn’t aware of how scared she was. Her uncertainty was the base I built upon. The tight grip on my hand and the way her pretty blue eyes flickered back and forth from door to door let me know she needed me. I made her feel safe. I had the ability to comfort her, to soothe her. It was a power rush.

It was my intention to make her feel so vulnerable I could bind her to me, make her see there was no better place to be than in my bed. Excitement for what was to come had my pulse quickening and me increasing my pace.

I needed to get her cleaned up and fed before doing anything else. We would be staying at my father’s château for the time being. We couldn’t go home even if I wanted to; I still needed to send someone to clean the dogs’ organs off the staircase.

I hadn’t meant to cut them open. I’d had an embarrassing lapse in self-control when she disappeared on me, something that hadn’t happened since I killed my nanny when I was eleven.

It wasn’t the dogs’ fault. The most important thing I had to remember was that I kept her favorite one alive. My father stopped me just in time, and that’s all that mattered. One out of three wasn’t bad, in my opinion.

I glanced over my shoulder, quickly taking in her slight frown before looking away. She wanted to see her sister, but I couldn’t let them reunite just yet. Not until the time was right.

If they saw one another now, Annie would ruin everything.

We emerged from the double-doors that separated the corridor from the rest of the massive house, and I led her to my old bedroom.

As always, Katie, as curious as a kitten, glanced around, trying to gleam information from the simple room. 

She wouldn’t get any.

The Pokemon cards I used to collect were no longer on my dresser, and my gaming system had long ago been packed away. It looked like an ordinary, average spare bedroom—but luxury styled.

I walked her straight to the bathroom, wordlessly and reluctantly letting her hand go so I could turn on the shower.

“Strip,” I commanded once the temperature was just right. She looked up at me with a clear objection in her eyes. How had a small interference made such a difference in her?

I bit back a smile when I reminded myself her issue wasn’t being brought back to me—it was the fact she thought I had some type of intimate relationship with her sister.

I wanted to drill her skull open and find out what was going on inside the jungle that was her mind.

“What happened to your redhead?”

My redhead? Fuck, she must have been referring to Ginger. Her voice was back to being soft and gentle, like I preferred. Her sweetness was something I craved—another new development I was trying to adjust to.

“Take your clothes off or I’ll take them off for you.” I ignored her question like she’d just ignored my order. She diverted her gaze to the floor and slowly began to remove her dress.

There were bruises on her knees, dirt smudged on her usual smooth skin, and the gauze on her feet needed to come off. Yet, in spite of all that, she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Even taking her apart wouldn’t compare, although I longed to make a perfect incision right down her middle—just to take a peak. I wouldn’t touch anything.

She crossed her arms over her breasts and let her hair fall around her face. I’d seen her at her lowest point of life, yet showing me her tits still made her feel uncomfortable.

“Come here.” I crooked two fingers and waved her over. She hesitated for only a second before coming to stand in front of me, still looking down.

“Hold on to my shoulders,” I told her, kneeling and lifting her left foot, gently unwrapping the soft cotton pad. Her pussy was right in my face; small hairs were growing back from not being shaved. I could still smell myself on her.

I reached up and ran my thumb across her thigh. She tensed and all the blood in my body found its way to my cock. Forgetting the task at hand, I spread her lips apart with two fingers and leaned in to inhale the smell, swiping my tongue right up the middle.

There were still remnants of my come on her, making me even more eager to devour her. I delved my tongue inside, working it up and down. Her tiny fingers curved into me and a soft sound left her throat.

I needed more of her; it was never enough to have just a little bit. She was a narcotic I wanted to swallow whole. Fucking her was my Narcan. I had this overwhelming need, a desperate carnal hunger to possess her.

It was never meant to be this intense. My father underestimated the way I would feel once I had her at my disposal. His small gift to me was beginning to feel like a curse. In one swift motion, I stood, towering over her, reveling at her subconscious response to step back.

“Get in.” The words came out harsher than I intended. Her hues widened and she eased past me to step inside the shower, quietly shutting the glass door behind her.

I watched the water cascade down the curves of her body. The way she was standing exposed everything for my eyes’ delight. She had a perfect body, and she had perfect skin. It was a flawless canvas I could mold to my desire. She would make such a pretty picture.

“Everything you need will be on the bed.” I cleared my throat and spoke over the running water, making my way out of the room before I did something unforgiveable.