“You were aware of her involvement. I didn’t think you required any more proof,” I say through gritted teeth. I don’t want anyone knowing of her and David’s sexual relationship. Those who know what he was doing, knows what he expected of a woman. And the possessive part of me doesn’t want anyone having pictures of her being his whore. I’ve protected her before, and I’ll continue to do so.
He sits back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m guessing she also has to do with you not showing up at the vow ceremony the other night?”
I don’t answer.
“Your chosen—”
“Can be someone else’s whore,” I interrupt him. I’m still in a shitty fucking mood over the fact that Elli called and fucked the masked me last night. Me, the real me that she had spent the night before last with, hasn’t heard a fucking word from her.
“That’s not how this works, Sin, and you know it.” His eyes harden on mine.
Leaning forward, I place my forearms on the cold surface of his mahogany desk. “As an official Lord, I can fuck whoever I want now that the vow ceremony has taken place,” I remind him.
“Ellington Asher was not on the list as a chosen,” he growls, frustrated with me.
A chosen must be placed on the list by her parents. A male descendant serves the Lords. A Lord who has a daughter may make her serve as well. It’s his chance to show the Lords their gratitude. We all play our part in this secret society. “I don’t give a fuck if she was on a list or not.” I stand.
“Sin,” he snaps, pointing at the chair, and I fall into it, rolling my eyes. “I don’t care what you do with Ellington, but you must take your chosen.”
“And if I don’t?” I arch a brow, challenging him.
He picks up the picture of Elli and looks at it for a few seconds before his eyes glare at me over the top. “You either take your chosen, or I take Ellington.” He tosses the pic back onto the desk. “And, Sin, you won’t like what I do to her.”
My hands fist, my jaw clenching. He just fucking threatened her. You don’t go against Linc. Not in here. He runs the house of Lords. The door opens behind me, and a sadistic smile spreads across his face, making his eyes light up like Christmas. “Darling.” He stands, pocketing the picture and stepping out from behind his desk to greet his weekly fuck.
The woman walks right up to him, and he pulls her in for a big hug. His eyes are on mine as he lowers his hands to grab her ass in her tight pencil skirt.
I narrow mine on him. Does he really think I give a fuck where he’s sticking his dick after what he just said to me about Elli? “Are we done?” I ask, standing. I’ve got other places to be.
He pulls away from her and gestures to me. “Darling, you know Easton.”
The woman turns to face me, and her cheeks redden. My teeth clench when I realize why he was so fucking smug. It’s Elli’s mother. What the fuck is she doing here at the house of Lords, of all places, hugging Lincoln?
“Easton, I didn’t see you there.” She smiles at me. “I’m sorry.” Her wide eyes go to Linc. “I should have called first…”
“You’re fine, honey.”
Honey? Darling?
“Sin will keep our secret, won’t you, Sin?” He arches a brow.
They’re fucking dating. This can’t be happening. I run a hand through my hair. “Of course, Mrs. Asher.” I call her by her first husband’s last name to piss him off. She’ll always be an Asher to me. No matter how many husbands she has.
“It’s just that I know you’re friends with Elli. I’d never asked you to lie…” She rambles on. “But we haven’t told her yet—”
“Darling, you don’t have to explain yourself to Sin,” he interrupts her.
“Well, they’re going to find out soon anyway. The big day will be here before we know it.”
“Big—big day?” I stumble over my words, trying to figure what the fuck is going on.
“Yes.” She gives me a warm smile. “We’re married. We’ll be announcing it soon.”
My legs give out, and I fall back into my chair. She married him? A Lady is a Lord’s wife. And she has rules just like her husband. When a Lord dies, his Lady is gifted to a new Lord. It’s so she can’t go out and date in the real world and tell all our secrets. I killed her husband two years ago. So why get married now? Some Ladies are remarried within months, others take longer. There are no rules on when they must take another Lord. It all depends on who the Lords want the widow to be with.
“Easton?” She gets my attention, and I look up at her to see her hand on my shoulder. “You okay?”
I jump up, taking a step back from them. “Fine,” I lie. What the fuck is going on?
“I’m begging you, Easton, please don’t tell Elli. We’ll be telling her next week at dinner. We want her to have enough time to adjust to Linc moving in with us.”
My heart hammers in my chest. Now his threat holds more weight. He’s going to be living in the same house as my girl. It makes sense. Mrs. Asher has a mansion from her first husband—Elli’s father. He was a very powerful Lord. Lincoln isn’t nearly that high up on the food chain in our world. I mean, come on, he lives here with us at the house of Lords, which is just basically a frat house.
“We’ll be there,” I tell her, gathering myself and squaring my shoulders.
“Oh, yeah… sure—”
“We’d like to keep it to just the three of us,” Linc interrupts her, still giving me that smug smile I want to cut off his fucking face and wear it on mine so he has to stare at it. “You know, since we’re family now.”
I give a smug smile of my own. “I understand, but as Elli’s boyfriend, I’m sure she’ll want me there too. You know, for moral support.” I place my hands in the front pockets of my jeans.
Mrs. Asher frowns. “What?” She looks at Linc and then back at me. “You two are dating?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I nod.
Her frown deepens, looking back at Linc and then to me. “But… you’re a senior at the university. And you’ve been initiated.”
Fuck.
She goes on, “Elli isn’t a chosen.”
“Correct,” Linc agrees, and I want to snap his fucking neck.
“So you’re Elli’s boyfriend, and you have a chosen? You’re cheating on my daughter?” She speaks slowly as if her mind isn’t comprehending what she’s saying but trying to make sense of it.
“No—”
“Darling, you know how these things work.” He chuckles, not letting me finish. “And so do they. It’ll be all right.”
My head tilts at his words. Why the fuck is he defending me now?
“I guess so.” She nods to herself, trying to wrap her brain around why her daughter would allow her boyfriend to fuck other women as if she raised her to have more self-respect than that. She didn’t, but that’s beside the point.
Without another word, I turn and exit his office. I’m practically running down the staircase when I see a very fucked-up-looking Matt exiting our personal gym on the second floor. He’s bleeding from the head and face. He looks to be a little lost.