Atonement (Master's Protege 2)

We arrive at the house, operating under the assumption that Armand… or whoever he’s working for or with… is watching us.

Pretend to be in love, Skylar says.

How can I do that? How can I let him touch me again, knowing I have to leave? Knowing the truth?

“Cain,” I say, holding myself aloof and hopefully being professional, because I can’t get personal with him right now, I just can’t. Cain’s made damn sure neither of us is being bugged, but there’s no telling who’s following us right now, so I keep my voice low.

“Yeah?”

“He won’t come to your house. He knows that this place is a fortress and he’d never make it out alive. We have to go to a place to bait him.”

“Right,” he says through gritted teeth. “We could go to the beach…”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “He wouldn’t have the balls. He followed us on the highway, though, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” he says, stroking his chin. I want to be those fingers, grazing over the hard stubble on his jaw. Touching him. Stroking him. I swallow the lump in my throat.

I could get a two-bedroom apartment, far, far away from here. I’ll get a job teaching martial arts, and maybe a dog…

“…and he’ll have easy access to the highway or more, won’t he?”

I blink, realizing I just missed half of what he said. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. Say that again?”

Normally, when I lose focus, I get that stern look he likes to give me or anyone on his staff, or some kind of reproach. I’m used to it. I don’t like when people space out when I’m talking to them either, and I know he’s the kind of guy who values respect. But this time, he doesn’t look upset with me. He doesn’t look angry. Instead, his jaw slackens, and his voice softens when he talks to me.

“Baby, where’d you go just now?”

No. No, no, no, NO.

“You can’t…” My voice is thick and strained. I swallow, clear my throat, then push through. “Don’t call me that. I told you. I’m Miss Price now.”

Skylar flinches as if someone struck her, then turns away and hangs her head.

Cain doesn’t react at all for long moments, just looking at me. When he finally speaks again, his tone is resigned. “You’re right. He won’t come here. So I’m proposing we go somewhere together where he’ll see us. You can go on your walk, pretend you’re training or something, alone. If we’re right… he’ll come to you.”

I nod. We go through the motions in silence. Cain assembles his team in his office and fills them in, while I mentally tally where I’ll live, where I’ll go. He dismisses them fifteen minutes later, and we have a full team that will follow us. We’ll make it look like it’s just me and Cain, but the entire time, we’ll have everyone with us.

“Violet—Miss Price,” Cain says. “Before we go, there are a few things I’ve… acquired for you.”

His formal way of speaking makes me want to cry.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s because I told him he had to grovel,” Sklyar says, glaring at him. I look at her in astonishment.

“What?”

I clamp my mouth shut.

“Because he was an asshole, he has a few things to give you to show you he’s sorry.”

“What? Do you two think I can be bought with gifts? Seriously?”

I hear a scratching at the door, and I blink in surprise. What the hell is going on here?

The door opens, and Joe comes in with a sheepish grin, holding a leash with the most adorable little pit bull puppy at the end of it. He’s tan with large ears and wide eyes, as big as Cain’s hands.

“Oh my God,” I whisper, and fall to one knee. I open my arms, and he runs to me, like he knows he’s mine. “Cain…”

The puppy leaps on my knee and laps at my face. My heart melts.

I don’t forgive him. I don’t. I will not be bought with pretty things, not now, not ever.

“I can’t take him. I won’t be bought,” I tell Cain. But I don’t put him down. I rise, cuddling the puppy to my chest. The sweet little boy sighs and nestles in, and my heart explodes.

“I’m not buying you. I’m giving you what you deserve. I’m apologizing for what I did. Take what I bought for you, they’re yours. You can take them now or take them when you go, but I’m not taking them back.”

Them?

He sighs. “You’ll see later. We have to stay focused for now, but I’ll show you everything else in time. For now… we have to go, ba—Violet.”

“I’ll call him Cudgel,” I whisper, handing the sweet boy to Skylar. “Take good care of him until I get back.”

“Oh, we will have the best wittle time, won’t we? Auntie Skylar will spoil you with all the best little things she can, sweet thing. You come with me and we will be good and busy until mama comes back.”