Filet Mignon
Iacopo
Kelly jumps a foot in the air. Her eyes widen as she recognizes me.
"Uncle Iacopo." I raise one eyebrow. She flushes. "I mean, Iacopo. Right."
"There are people at your college apartment right now to take your things. We told Camilla that you were unexpectedly given a spot to study abroad, but there's no Internet there."
She swallows. "Okay."
I can almost taste how tense she is. If I were a nice man, I'd set her mind at ease.
I'm not a nice man.
"Come here."
She hesitates for a moment. This moment is the beginning of our relationship, whatever it is. And then she gets out of bed and stands in front of me.
She gasps and tries to jerk back when I put my hand in her hair and curl it into a fist.
I pull her forward and bend down to speak straight into her delicate little ear. "I expect to be obeyed immediately. I won't be so nice the next time."
She's breathing in shallow, fast pants. I can see her chest rising and falling so quickly that she's almost hyperventilating. Her nipples are hard. They're sticking out like little diamonds.
I want to bend down and taste them, but it's not the right time. When I have her in bed, it'll be the right time. And she will beg for it.
"Are you hungry?"
"What?"
"Do you want to eat?"
She puts a hand on her stomach. "I guess."
"I had my chef put a meal in the upstairs sitting room. I hope you'll join me." We both know that it's a command, not a suggestion.
She follows me into the upstairs sitting room. There are two places set. I normally eat a few courses, but I didn't want my household staff to interrupt us. We only have an entrée now. It's just filet mignon and asparagus.
She sits down in her chair in a movement so graceful that I can't breathe. She puts her napkin in her lap and waits for me to seat myself before she starts.
I take my own seat. And then the only sound in the room is the sound of forks and knives clattering. She's eating quick, small bites. The filet mignon falls apart almost as soon as it's touched with a steak knife.
Then both of our plates are empty.
"May I go?"
"I thought that we'd talk for a while." I take a sip of my wine. "Try the cider. It's from one of my orchards."
"I didn't know you owned orchards."
"There's a lot you don't know about me."
She drinks the cider. "What's in this? It tastes incredible. So warm and delicious."
"Drink more."
I can see her visibly relax when she drinks more. I file it away for future use.