“So sorry, ma’am,” Patricks says. “I was on the other side of the building when this started.”
“It’s okay. Can someone check on Dorian? He got hit.”
Patricks nods and speaks with the French chef as Max comes over to me and puts a hand on my arm. “You okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” I look up into his eyes. “Thanks.”
“It’s my job.”
I smile a little. “Is it your job to make him apologize?”
“That was just because you’re mine,” he says, a smile on his lips. “And nobody threatens what’s mine.”
I bite my lip and stare at him but he gets pulled away. Patricks says something to me and I just nod, not listening to anything else around me. I stare at Max, my heart racing in my chest.
What did he mean, I’m his? I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean, but the more I think about it, the more I let the words ring in my ears, the more I like them. The more excited they make me feel.
I want to be his. I want him to have me, all of me, every inch of me. He can take me and keep me and do whatever he wants with me, just so long as I get to be his.
Max gets ushered out and Patricks walks me back to my room. I thank him and go inside before shutting the door. I find my phone and pull it out.Me: I’ll be yours if you promise to break any wrist I want.
Max: I’ll do more than that if you want.
Me: Like what?
Max: Take care of you. Give you what you need.
Me: What do I need?
Max: Come for a hike with me tomorrow. I’ll show you.I stare at my phone for a long moment before typing back.Me: Okay. I will.And I hit send, my heart racing, a huge smile on my face.6MaxI’m in the security room with Patricks and Morrison when Delia appears in the doorway. Everyone looks at her and I can tell both Patricks and Morrison are surprised to see her. I guess the Lofthouse family doesn’t appear at the security room very often.
“I’m going for a hike,” she announces. “And the stuff with that cook last night has me on edge. I want an escort.”
Patricks jumps to his feet. “I’d be happy to take you if—”
“Him,” Delia says, looking at me. I grin at her. “He helped me last night. He can come with me.”
Patricks looks like he wants to fucking puke when he turns in my direction. “He’s not… he’s not ready to take you off the compound. We haven’t trained him.”
I climb to my feet and shrug. “How hard can it be? I’ll keep a safe distance and make sure she doesn’t fall down a cliff. Again.”
She glares at me and smiles. “I won’t be falling, thank you very much. But the safe distance thing sounds good.”
“I don’t know,” Patricks says. “I think it’s against protocol.”
“Ah, let them go,” Morrison says. “He’s fine.”
I nod at the man and smile at Patricks. “I’ll be fine to take her,” I say.
He hesitates a second but he knows he can’t turn this down without looking strange, so he nods his head. “Fine. Just be careful. Don’t go off the marked trails.”
“I’ll go wherever I want,” Delia says. “Come along, Max.”
I stop in front of Patricks on my way out. “I’ll be fine,” I say. “And I’ll keep an eye on her. I promise.”
He nods again. “See that you do.”
I follow Delia out of the room and through a side hallway. “Clever girl.”
She puts a finger to her lips and keeps walking. I nod a little and shut my mouth. She’s right, Patricks could be listening, or someone else could be lurking in the halls. In my time here, I’ve realized that Patricks has more control over the house than I thought he could at first. There must be microphones all around the place and I know there are cameras. He’s more than a little obsessed when it comes to security because of whatever happened with his former partner.
I think he takes it too far, and I’m worried he won’t be able to scale it back.
But that’s a problem for another day. Delia looks cute as fuck in her tight jeans and light blue top that shows off just a hint of her perky, gorgeous breasts. We slip through a back passage and come out a side door that I’ve never seen before. Once we’re on the lawn and walking toward the woods, she falls back into step with me.
“Can we talk out here?” I ask.
She laughs. “Yeah, sure. Sorry if I was paranoid in there. I never know who’s around.”
“It’s smart. Patricks is a little…”
“Intense.” She shrugs. “I don’t blame him, though.”
“Right, I kind of get it. But still.”
“He doesn’t know you yet. And besides, he’s afraid you’ll corrupt me.” She laughs and looks so gorgeous in the afternoon sun. Her hair almost sparkles and I’m tempted to reach up and grab it tight in my fist.