Nine
I stood still as Master Kade’s friend ran his chubby fingers up my arm. They’re warm and soft, unlike his cold, rough eyes, and I clench my jaw as his green and brown irises send large quantities of uneasiness through me.
“Fingerprints,” Kade says through gritted teeth, tightening his grip on his glass.
Henry pulls his hands back and threads them together in front of him. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
“I forgive you,” Kade says, taking a quick sip of his drink. “Do it again, though, and I’ll break your fingers.”
Henry laughs, shrugging Master Kade’s words off and treating them like a joke. I glance at Kade and the look on his face is anything but humorous.
“Eighteen years young?” he asks me, raking his fingers through his grey hair.
I nod and fight the urge to cringe. I don’t like how excited I’m getting him. You’d think he’s never seen an Unfortunate before.
“Virgin?”
I open my mouth to speak, but Kade cuts me off. “Those questions and the information they draw are best reserved for her owner.”
“Of course, sorry.” Henry’s beady eyes survey me for a few minutes longer before he finally turns back to Kade. “I don’t suppose you’re going to put her in the Black House?”
I tense. Black House?
“Absolutely not.”
“That’s a shame…you could make a lot of money off of her.” He clicks his tongue against his teeth. I hate being talked about like I’m not here. “She seems so…alive, doesn’t she? I know a lot of people that would pay top dollar for her.”
Kade slams back the rest of his drink and I lift my eyes long enough to see his fingers whiten around the glass. “She’s not for casual use outside of my house.”
Henry chuckles a deep, throaty chuckle. “You lucky son of a bitch.”
I drop my eyes in fear of Kade seeing me cringe. The reaction I’ve received since my arrival is off-putting and I worry what’ll happen to me if Master Kade leaves my side for a second. I hate that I, suddenly, never want Kade to leave my side.
“More whiskey,” Kade demands, extending his cup to me.
With a nod, I take the cup and stroll away. As I walk, I feel Henry’s seedy gaze stick to me like sweat on a hot summer’s night. I don’t like him…not one little bit.
I detour off the path and press the bottoms of my feet against the grass. It welcomes my feet like fluffy clouds and I fight the urge to reach down and touch the blades with my fingers. Whiskey. I remind myself, Get the Whiskey and touch the grass later. I stroll into the mansion, turn left down a narrow corridor, and then right into a kitchen. Unfortunates work hard, cooking food and filling drinks. As I reach the door frame, three Unfortunates dressed in elegant white tunics push past, carrying large trays of drinks. I step into the chaotic kitchen and set Master Kade’s empty glass down on the bench. The entire bench seems dedicated to various drinks and it occurs to me that I don’t know what Whiskey is…let alone what it looks like.
“Need help?” a womanly voice asks.
I glance over my shoulder at another Unfortunate. She pulls her frizzy hair up into a messy bun and saunters closer. I notice her tunic is worn, like she’s been wearing it for years.
“Master Kade…” I mutter, turning back to the dizzying variation of bottles. “I don’t suppose you know which one of these he drinks?”
She reaches across and plucks a gold and black bottle from the centre of the counter. “Here’s a tip, Master Kade’s drink matches his personality, cold and rough.” She hums a catchy tune. “Black and gold for callous and cold.” She chuckles to herself. “Linking things to Fortunates with rhymes usually helps me keep on top of things.”
“You think Kade is callous and cold?”
The colour drains from the woman’s face. “No! Absolutely not. You’re not going to tell him, are you?”
As if I’d ever put one of my own in harm’s way. I flash her the palms of my hands. “No, no. I would never.”
“Oh.” Her tiny frame relaxes as she sighs. “You had me worried for a second.” She reaches for the glass and knocks over the bottle of whiskey, spilling it on the counter. I step back to avoid getting the strong smelling liquid on my dress as she dives for it, setting it back upright before its entire contents are lost.
“Go down the hall and fetch some towels. I’ll pour his drink while you’re gone.”
I whirl on my heel and flee the kitchen. I walk quickly, worried I’ve already taken too long to get his drink. I hope he isn’t mad.
I approach the only cupboard in the hall and yank it open. It’s filled with towels, towels and more towels. All are the same creamy colour, so I grab a handful and slam the doors behind me. I manage to take one step before a strange moaning draws my attention. I still and my fingers instinctively tighten around the fabrics.
“Yes, oh, please,” a feminine voice sighs.
A very distinct male groan reverberates around my skull, followed closely by a crude command. “Spread your legs wider. Fuck yes, just like that.”
My curiosity piques again and I find myself stepping closer to the sound. Curiosity is bad. Curiosity is wrong. It’s going to get you killed!
It seems to be filtering from the crack in the door across from the towel cupboard. I get closer and closer until I’m right at the door. I peer through the crack. My vision is bombarded with a female’s flushed cheeks, her face twisted into an expression of pure pleasure. She’s face down on the bed, her ass sticking up for all to see. My gaze travels down her body, over her slim hips and creamy skin to her backside. The skin covering that area is red, like it’s been slapped a hundred times. I watch as large, manly hands grip her flesh, forcing her to move harder and faster onto him. The girl’s mouth parts as quick pants of air escape her and my own breath picks up as she grips the sheets until her knuckles turn white. Between my legs, I feel an unfamiliar tingle and I squeeze my thighs shut. This is wrong, I tell myself, but I don’t dare look away. I couldn’t, even if I tried. I look at the man, the cause of her pleasure, and to my astonishment he’s still fully dressed, suit jacket and all. He looks familiar but I can’t pinpoint it. The sound of the female’s moan forces my attention from the clothed man back to her.
“Yes,” she breathes. “Harder.”
He crouches over her and grabs a fistful of her hair, forcing her neck back on an almost painful angle. She whimpers in delight as his groans become more pronounced. Out of nowhere, the girl begins to scream and I watch completely mesmerised by her body as her muscles ripple and shudder under the weight of the man. He made her come…which means she can’t possibly be an Unfortunate. Unfortunates aren’t allowed to experience the same pleasure as Fortunates. With one last guttural moan, the man collapses on top of the woman, his body suddenly limp and tired. With a heavy sigh, his strained expression smooths out and glazes over with complete satisfaction.
Time to go. I pivot too quickly on my heel and accidently knock one of the towels out of my own hand. My heart leaps into my throat and I swing at the cloth as it falls. It’s too late and my fingers graze the edge of the fabric and connect with the heavy, wooden door. The door is thrown open and it slams against the wall, startling the two lovers. My wide stare flicks to the young man and the way his dark, amused gaze lingers scares the hell out of me. His eyes are as dark as oil, lined with perfect thick, black lashes—much like Kade’s. Then it hits me, he was the Fortunate who slapped Thirteen on the pedestal.
“I’m so sorry,” I breathe, feeling my lungs inflate to maximum levels in my chest. “I didn’t mean—I mean, I-I did mean to see, but I d-didn’t mean to interrupt.”
He straightens his posture, pulling himself out of the girl and exposing his long, still-semi-erect penis. My muscles clench uncomfortably and I drop my gaze to the floor. I hear the girl giggle and sigh as she makes herself more comfortable on the bed. Painful tendrils of anxiousness burrow in my chest and I cringe, taking an unintentional step back. I look back to the Fortunate and his eyes narrow. My heart stops cold and I panic. I crouch and pick up the towel before whipping around on my heel and fleeing from the man. Tears threaten my eyes as I realise what I’ve done. I spoke to a Fortunate without reason, invaded personal space and turned my back on him, leaving without being dismissed. I’m screwed.
I dive into the kitchen and throw the towels at the Unfortunate I met earlier. She opens her mouth to talk, but I snag the drink and ditch her instead. I can lose the Fortunate in the crowd…I hope.
I march over the grass, my eyes desperately scanning the crowd for Kade. I spot him immediately talking to a blonde female Fortunate. I take another step closer and a warm hand surrounds my elbow and yanks me backwards. I gasp as a few drops of Kade’s drink hits my skin.
“Easy now, Sugar.” The voice is smooth and kind. I glance over my shoulder.
My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach when I see the same dark eyes I met less than a minute ago. He circles me, leaving little space between us. Tears threaten the rims of my eyes and I push my tongue to the roof of my mouth, breathing only out of my nose to prevent the dams from bursting. The unknown Unfortunate glides a finger up my neck and under my chin, tilting my face towards his.
“You’re Master Kade’s Unfortunate?” he inquires.
I nod. “Yes, sir.”
I stand still as his hands glide down the length of my body and over my hips. My organs move slowly, as if his toxic touch is seeping in through my pores and poisoning my insides.
“Did you like the show?” he asks, his full lips twitching slightly.
“Please, don’t—”
“—I asked you a question.”
I rake my teeth over my trembling bottom lip. “I’m not sure.”
He chuckles and the sound chills me to my core. Don’t ask me why. It just does.
“You know, the city is abuzz with gossip about Kade and his new, beautiful Unfortunate.” He lets me go and takes a step back, giving me space. “You look innocent with your big violet eyes and your light pink lips.” He reaches out and twirls a lock of my hair around his long finger. “But I don’t think you’re innocent. No, I think all you want is a good, long, hard fuc—”
“Vince.” I jump as Master Kade’s voice rings loud and clear. “If you value your hands, you’ll stop touching her.”
I hear the smile on Vince’s lips as he ponders Kade’s words. A few seconds pass before he laughs under his breath.
“I think she wants to be touched.” He grips my shoulders and slowly turns me around. I keep my eyes on the light green grass. I see his shoes first…black and shiny, tied up with thin laces. I lift my gaze, following his black suit up his long, strong legs, over his slim hips and waist before looking him in the eyes. As we make eye contact, I feel Vince move closer, pressing the entire length of his body into my back. “Perhaps you and I can strike a deal?”
Kade smirks, shifting his eyes to Vince. “If I wanted to share Unfortunates with you, brother, I’d use the ones that already linger around the house.”
Oh, god. I feel like vomiting. Vince is Master Kade’s brother? He couldn’t have been a random Fortunate from another household? He just had to be directly affiliated with my Fortunate. What are the odds? Maybe the universe hates me…though I can’t imagine why. It’s not like I’ve provoked it.
Vince moves from behind me, stepping closer to his brother. “Why the sudden attachment? Father told me you didn’t want an Unfortunate.”
Kade extends his hand and I pass him his drink. “I don’t,” he says. He sips his whiskey and swallows. “But you do and that’s good enough for me.”
I’m stuck between two bickering brothers—both seemingly as controlling and aggressive as each other. I give them both a quick once over to compare similarities. While Kade is tall, dark, and handsome, Vince is shorter and his features are more boyish and playful. Where Vince’s messy hair grows, adding to his carefree persona, Kade’s is cut short and groomed well, adding to his own disciplined personality. In short, I’m a hell of a lot more terrified of Kade than I am of Vince.
Kade saunters forward, swallowing the distance between us, and he grips my jaw. I grit my teeth as he treats me like an animal. “Look at her. No Fortunate in their right mind would refuse owning her, and besides, I have plans.”
“The Black House?”
I don’t know what the Black House is, but I don’t like it. I don’t like the way it sounds or the devious gleam Vince gets in his eyes when he said it.
“No, better than that.”
“You’re delirious. What use is an Unfortunate outside of the bedroom?”
With a quick flick of my long hair, Vince saunters off, collecting a glass off a passing tray. Kade’s hand doesn’t leave my face, and when Vince disappears into a throng of Fortunate women, Kade yanks me in his direction. “Avoid my brother at all costs, do you understand?”
“Why?”
“That was a direct question. Answer it.”
“Yes.” His thick fingers squeeze harder and I openly wince. “Yes, Master Kade.”
“Good.” He releases me. “If he so much as lays a finger on you, you are out of here. Do you understand?”
I nod. Rules don’t come any clearer than that, and thankfully, it’s a rule I can easily follow. I don’t want Vince putting his fingers on me either.
“Go get cream and ice for your shoulder. I want it healed as quickly as possible, then go to your quarters and remain there until I call for you.”
“Yes, Master Kade.”
With that, he simply turns away and storms off. I feel every muscle in my body relax when he disappears. He makes me anxious, more so than anyone else here…maybe it’s because he has complete control over me…whatever it is, I don’t like it.
∞ Kade ∞
The Black House.
It was Kade’s favourite place growing up. As a teenage boy, nothing was better than getting blowjobs or having sex. From sixteen to twenty he visited the Black House regularly, as did a lot of the Fortunates. Sure, you could fuck any slave you wanted in house, but those slaves didn’t understand the art of pleasure like the ones in the Black House did. They were trained to please…and boy, did they please.
Usually, when a Fortunate received an above average Unfortunate, they were smart enough to send them to the Black House for other Fortunates to pay to use. The money you could make off a decent Unfortunate was almost endless. Kade was strangely happy that he would never have to use the Black House again now he had his own special Unfortunate, one everyone in this entire city was drooling over. He was thankful his father had a strong relationship with Soyer, the moderator assigned to the Unfortunate camp. If he didn’t, Nine would have ended up with a Knowle…or worse, a Miller. Both houses were known to be a little…sex-driven. In fact, you could find a Knowle inside the Black House at any time of day. If they sank their claws in Nine first, she’d have been fucked, beaten, and broken long before her branding ceremony even began.
How anyone could put pussy above finance was beyond Kade. Sure, he liked to fuck just as much as the next guy, but if it came down to his cock or his money, paint him abstinent.
Kade sat in his plush seat with his ankle resting on his knee. He twirled his drink in his right and watched an Unfortunate get fucked from behind right in front of him. He watched her breasts jiggle every time the man thrust into her. She knew he was watching, and every now and then, her eyes would flick to Kade’s and glaze over with lust. She wished it was him that was fucking her from behind and Kade’s hard cock wished it was him too, but he had only come to watch, not partake…at least not yet, anyway.
A light touch snapped Kade’s mind from his throbbing dick to the woman in front of him. His gaze focused on her face as her blonde hair fell around her shoulders as she leaned in. Elizabeth, the girl Kade wanted to see.
“You took your time,” Kade grumbled, pissed she’d kept him waiting.
“Well, I was offended that you wanted to fuck in the Black House.” She pressed an index finger between his legs and circled her long, red nail against the fabric, causing Kade to strain harder against his zipper. “Consider my tardiness your punishment for bringing me here.”
He dropped his glass against the carpet, spilling the liquid into the rug, and rose to his feet. He walked away from the fucking couple, and into the next room. It was empty, filled only by a large bed and elegant wall hangings. Kade didn’t care much for interior design and obvious words like ‘rug’ or ‘gold curtains’ was all he cared to use to describe such furnishings. He didn’t care what they looked like or what they felt like, because to him, it didn’t matter.
Elizabeth closed the door and leaned against the wood while Kade pulled at his tie, loosening it.
“Dress. Off,” he demanded.
Kade wasn’t in the mood to peel it from her and he didn’t have time. All he wanted was a quick release and he hoped it would be satisfying enough to keep him in his bed and Nine out of it.
“No wining and dining?” she teased.
“I haven’t wined and dined you since I was sixteen years old.” He yanked his jacket off and threw it to the floor. “Remove the dress.” Kade began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt before pulling at the buttons that lined his torso.
“Are we fucking here so your new Unfortunate doesn’t see us?”
The snarky tone in her voice didn’t pass Kade by. “You’re jealous?” he wondered aloud, smiling slightly.
“Of an Unfortunate?” She laughed once. “Don’t be stupid. I’m better looking than her.”
Kade surveyed Elizabeth’s long, blonde curls and didn’t deny she was beautiful, but she just wasn’t…different. He’d known Elizabeth her entire life and when he looked into her face he still saw that same little girl, only now she wasn’t so little…or innocent. Kade’s father had always wanted him to marry into the Miller family, but Kade openly detested the Millers, much to Elizabeth’s anguish. Kade didn’t want to marry into any family and he didn’t want any other family to marry into his. He was positive he could make his family the ruling family on his own…and he would. The only thing weighing him down was his brother, Vince. He didn’t care about society or the family. He wanted the glory and dominance that came with being one of the four houses, but Vince was a stupid boy who followed his cock in whatever direction it was, and at the moment it was pointing at Nine. Kade wouldn’t let Vince jeopardize Nine’s virginity. Nine could be a very powerful tool in the eventual climb of the Sario house. Cocks would follow her in any direction…and if she tasted as sweet as she looked, victory was his.
“Perhaps you didn’t hear me,” Elizabeth growled, her body noticeably tensing. She was such a vain creature, always needing praise and validation.
“I heard you.”
“I’m better looking than her,” she repeated, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Yes, Elizabeth.” Kade sighed, unbuckling his belt. “You’re beautiful.” He was beginning to regret this whole situation. He didn’t have the patience to play Elizabeth’s games of vanity. He never did.
With a proud smirk, she sauntered closer. “Do you think she’s beautiful?”
“Of course I think she’s beautiful,” he snapped. “I wouldn’t have accepted her otherwise.” Kade had never thought of himself as a shallow man…until that sentence fell from his lips.
“Do you want to fuck her?”
Yes. Nine was the reason Kade was about to fuck Elizabeth twice in one day. He never fucked Elizabeth twice in one day. The last time he did, she went ahead and assumed she meant something more to him, telling people they were together. Kade had clarified to Elizabeth before they started having sex that it was only to quench his desire to come and she accepted that fact. It had been years since that conversation, nine years to be exact, and Kade never let Elizabeth forget it. Kade dropped his pants, allowing his hard erection to spring free. Elizabeth’s blue gaze dropped to his cock and it twitched in response.
“I’ve been fighting this erection since she stepped into my room, and the second you mention her name, I get hard again.” Elizabeth’s eyes thinned into jealous slits. “You tell me if I want to fuck her or not.”
She stepped forward, pulling at the lace that held the bodice of her dress together. Slowly, it started to unravel and Kade found himself eagerly waiting for her alluring breasts to be free from the inconvenient fabric. “Well, she’s not here. All you have is me.”
Kade ignored the possessive tone of her voice. Elizabeth had always claimed Kade as hers, but she knew damn well he couldn’t be claimed. He was free to do whatever the hell he wanted—whoever the hell he wanted—and no woman would change that. Elizabeth’s generous bust poured out of the fabric, making Kade’s fingers twitch against his thigh. She had the perfect nipple to breast ratio—even he appreciated that.
“All I have is you?” Kade muttered, flicking a finger over her hard nipple. Her breath caught in her throat and she inched closer. He ignored the tone in which Elizabeth said ‘all you have is me.’ He could prove her wrong this second and drag in the girl who was being fucked from behind ten minutes ago and prove that assumption incorrect. She stepped even closer and Elizabeth’s usual clove and daisy scent filtered through him, but it didn’t set fire to his blood like Nine’s cherry smell did. He wanted to fist her auburn locks as he took her roughly from behind.
“Dress off. Bed now.”
Elizabeth slipped her dress down her petite frame and over her narrow hips. Without anything but a sexy glance over her shoulder, she climbed onto the bed. Kade was on her in a flash, gripping her thighs and rolling her onto her back. He kissed her, crushing his lips to hers and tasting nothing but wine and cherries. The taste alone was enough to make him come. His hand found its way between her legs and he slid a finger between her bare, wet lips. Elizabeth shuddered against Kade’s body and he smiled. He’d always enjoyed making a woman feel good. Nothing made him feel manlier than making a woman come on his cock or fingers.
“You’re a big boy now,” Elizabeth purred underneath him as she slipped a hand between their bodies and grabbed a hold of his length. “I don’t want to come on your hands.”
Kade pulled his hips back to allow for more room as she dragged the very tip of him across her wet, slippery entrance. She was wet—she always was for him. Minimal foreplay went into sex with Elizabeth and if he was being honest, Kade hated skipping foreplay, especially when he didn’t intend to make the woman come through sex. How do you build up the excitement and the pleasure without foreplay? To him, foreplay was the opening scene, and sex, the secondary act. If you don’t have a girl writhing and screaming your name before sex even starts, you’ve already disappointed her. Women are difficult creatures; for example, when a woman touches a man’s cock, it feels good—everywhere. On the head, on the shaft, at the base and even the balls, but when a man touches a woman’s pussy, he has to hit the right spots. It’s like guessing the right code to a safe by going off the sounds and vibrations it emits. Get it wrong and it’s a wasted effort. Get it right and you’re open to endless possibilities and pleasures. A well-wound, aroused woman will do anything for her release, her reservation drops away and she’ll moan, scream, and beg for you to make her come. She’ll show you exactly what she likes, taking all of the work off you and putting it on herself. That was Kade’s base line to epic sex. Please her, and she’ll take you to places you’ve never been before.
He felt her opening stretch as she slowly slipped his cock lower, and without hesitation, he thrust, sinking himself deep inside her with a husky groan. Elizabeth pulled her hand away and immediately sank her sharp nails into his backside as she moaned and pulled him harder into her. He gritted his teeth as her nails began to cut the skin; it was a pain that Kade loved. It was the pain of passion, a mutual passion.
Kade wanted this to be over quickly, but once he was inside her tight hole, sliding in and out so seamlessly, he wanted the feeling to last forever. That wasn’t going to happen, however. Kade had things he needed to do, maps he needed to study, so he began to thrust harder, faster, deeper, until Elizabeth’s walls began to squeeze and milk him for all that he had.
“Yes,” Elizabeth panted, her arms squeezing her breasts together.
He felt it in his balls, the familiar tightness, and his shaft swelled, leaving even less room inside her. She was tight and he grunted every time he had to force himself that little bit deeper. She began to gasp, shutting her eyes and clawing him harder.
“Yes!” she cried out. The noise, the sound of a woman nearing climax, was fucking sexy and it pushed him to the edge. As Elizabeth came, Kade sucked a breast into his mouth and bit down as he spilled himself into her. His climax was nice, but boring, in a way. Foreplay. It all came back to foreplay for him. He wanted to be wound up to the point of combusting before feeling the velvety insides of a woman. Kade pulled himself out and off of Elizabeth, who rolled happily onto her side. A shower and bed was now all he needed for a good night’s sleep. He put his clothes back on and headed for the door without another word. It wasn’t because it was awkward or because he disliked her. Kade liked Elizabeth, she was one of his dearest friends, but they’d been at this for nine years and there was nothing new to say to each other. To be honest, Kade didn’t want to linger just in case she decided to read into it. He wouldn’t put it past Elizabeth to have a wedding planned and ready by the morning.
Kade pulled the door open and stepped out.
“You’re welcome,” Elizabeth called, forcing Kade to turn around.
He laughed once, peering around the edge of the door. “Let’s not pretend. We both know it was I that did you the favour.”
She opened her mouth and Kade shut the door before she could speak her retort. That would keep her up tonight. Elizabeth never could handle someone else getting the last word in.
∞
Master Kade strolled up the wide hallway, ignoring all of the paintings on the wall. He’d been wandering these halls since he was a kid and he knew every detail of every painting. He was sick of it, sick of this house. He wanted to be right in the city, with his father. Kade’s father lived in the Sario building in the middle of the city. Coincidently, it was the tallest building. Only the figurehead of a main house could live there. He didn’t envy his father too badly, not when he thought about all of the bullshit his dad had to deal with. In the new world, there wasn’t much work for the Fortunates. The Unfortunates took care of everything. They did the farming, they ran the shops, and they served the Fortunates. Every Unfortunate was born with a number and every slave had a place. If the slave wasn’t where it was meant to be, then it was located and killed. Fortunates didn’t have the time for renegade slaves. It was rare that anyone escaped Freeport. Those that did were either tracked and killed or left to die out in the wild. The moderators were half Fortunate, half Unfortunate, and although birth control was compulsory for all Unfortunates, sometimes things slipped by. It wasn’t right to treat the offspring like Fortunates and it wasn’t right to treat them like Unfortunates, either, so they created a medium. That medium turned out to be very helpful. Fortunates didn’t have to degrade themselves and slum it in Unfortunate camps or on work stations while the Unfortunates picked the food or sewed the clothes, the moderators did instead, and they were paid well for it.
Kade’s shoes scuffed against untiled flooring and the noise brought him back to reality. He glanced around the dark room and heard a sleepy sigh. He took a step back, at first, when he realised his unfocused state had brought him to Nine’s quarters. She had her own room, his father had apparently sorted that out for her. Most personal slaves shared a room connected to their master’s room, but Kade wasn’t open to the option of having someone so close to his personal space.
It was his animalistic nature that forced him forward again. He kept going until his shins pressed against the low, thin mattress. If he listened closely, he could hear the slow, relaxed pattern of her breathing. It was the first time since her arrival that he’d heard her breathe at a normal pace. He decided he liked it quicker…he liked affecting her. He stuffed his hands into his pockets to prevent from touching her. He wondered how she’d react if he stroked her between her legs or played with one of her nipples. He recalled earlier when he released her from her dress that she attempted to cover her breasts. She wouldn’t like to be touched against her will at all—that was obvious—so Kade didn’t touch her, but she’d have to learn to like it. If she was going to help him and his family, she was going to have to like being touched whenever and wherever a Fortunate saw fit, and in order to make her like it, he was going to have to gain her trust. He had to pick the right moments to seduce her, to break her down and put her back together again. Kade was certain that when he was finished with her, she was going to trust, love, and fear him.
Kade turned on his heel and left Nine’s room. Behind him, he heard her shuffle on the bed, and he hunched a little as his weariness began to take over. He ran his hand over his face and thought about his large bed as he climbed the wide staircase to the second floor. He loved night time—to be specific—he loved the time when he could climb into bed and forget about all the shit he had to deal with. The only time he could rest was alone in the dark. He didn’t like company in those times. He didn’t like light, either. The darkness was his ally. It allowed him to be still and content. It was only in darkness that he found himself truly at peace, and when the light began to seep through the curtains in the morning, he put his face back on and hid his peaceful nature behind his assertive front. It became apparent to him as a teenager, after his mother was murdered, that he needed to be hard in order to survive. The weak fall…the strong prosper, and that was the way the new world went.