Heartless Lover (Dark Syndicate 5)

“I’m fine, thank you,” I reply as cordially as I can.

“Good girl. What a shame though, looks like you learned your lesson.”

“Clearly you get off on causing pain to others.”

“Yes, I do.” He nods with a smile. “Now eat, I’m not going to have you here perishing on me.”

“I’m not perishing. I’m here aren’t I?”

“You are here.”

To my surprise he takes the plate in front of me and serves me first, giving me a good helping of nearly everything on the table. I should tell him I’m fully capable of serving myself, but I think better of it and hold my tongue.

When he sets it before me he nods and serves himself next.

“Thank you.” I take a bite of the food and my God is it amazing. I take a few more bites and notice him watching me in between bites, too.

Lyssa returns with an expensive bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses.

“Enjoy dinner,” she says.

“Thank you Lyssa, you may go now,” Eric replies. “I’ll manage from here on.”

“All right. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.”

“Bye,” I tell her, wishing she would stay a little longer to cushion the tension but she dips her head and leaves. Moments later the click of the front door signals her departure and heralds the fact I’m all alone with Eric.

I glance at him and gear myself up to ask the questions I have for him.

“You don’t usually have dinner with me,” I state.

“Tonight’s different.”

“Did you want to make sure I ate?”

He allows his fork to dangle between his thumb and forefinger while he watches me.

When he leans in closer, I already know he’s going to give me some crass answer so I gear myself up for it.

“You’ve lost weight since you’ve been here. Do not lose anymore. I want to make sure I have something to hold on to when I fuck you.”

All I do is stare back at him, my face blank of emotion. The same as his.

I almost feel like not eating now just to spite him but tasting the delicious food has made me realize just how hungry I am.

“I’m sure your girlfriend wouldn’t appreciate you speaking to me like that, nor what you did yesterday. Then again cheating probably comes second nature to you.”

He chuckles and gives me a wide grin. “Which girlfriend are we talking about?”

“You pick. There was the woman last night and the other one who brought the clothes for me, which by the way I owe you for.”

He stabs into the slice of chicken on his plate, eats it, and lingers well after he’s swallowed before he gears up to answer me.

“First of all, you and I don’t talk about money. Ever. If I buy something for you, you wear it or eat it, and you don’t fucking talk to me about owing. Second, the woman who brought the clothes for you is one of my assistants. I got her to shop for you because you’re roughly the same size. Last of all but not least, the woman last night is my kid sister.”

I groan inwardly. I should apologize for my embarrassing mistake but I don’t want to give him the pleasure of seeing me accept I’m wrong.