But I know everything I need to know after he threatened Elli. And I won’t leave her at that house for Linc to take what’s mine. Willingly or by force.
Elli is very fragile and can easily be manipulated. I know because I’ve done it. And I won’t stand by and let Linc have his way with something that is mine. I’ve waited too long to get her where I want her. And no one will stand in my way. Especially not some fucking low-level Lord on a power trip.
My bedroom door opens, and I look up to see a woman enter. She’s got her long dark hair up in a high ponytail. Her makeup is caked on like she’s about to do a photo shoot of some kind, and she’s wearing the tiniest bikini I’ve ever seen. Two little triangles cover her fake tits and an even smaller one covers her pussy. She’s dressed in a pair of heels and clearly has not been swimming due to the fact that she’s still dry.
Amelia Lane Cleary stands in my room, hands on her hips, and her injected lips smiling.
“Get the fuck out of my room.” I point at the door.
Instead, she steps farther inside, closer to me. “You’re lucky I’m not the jealous type. Otherwise, I’d be insecure that you didn’t show for our vow ceremony.” She places her hand on my chest and cocks her head. Her tongue pokes out to run across her red lips. As if she truly thinks that’ll do something for me. It doesn’t.
I grab her upper arm and yank her toward the door.
“Sin—”
I stop and turn to see Elli has stepped out of the bathroom. Her gorgeous eyes go from mine to the half-naked girl in my grasp.
“She was just leaving,” I growl through gritted teeth, hating that I have to explain myself but also knowing I need to defuse the current situation that Amelia has put me in.
Pursing her lips, Elli goes back into the bathroom and grabs her bag. “No, I was just leaving.”
I let go of the bitch on my arm and step in front of Elli. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Her narrowed eyes tell me she’s going to run out of here, and I’m going to have to make her stay. Good, it’ll give me a reason to chain her up.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” Amelia says from behind me. “You’re not a chosen.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. One problem at a time. I let go of Elli and turn to face Amelia. I pull her out of the room and slam the door shut behind me. Once in the hallway, I yank her to me. “Stay the fuck out of my room.” She’s lying. Any woman can be here at any time. She’s just trying to piss off Elli, and it’s working.
She huffs. “Lincoln called me. Said you wanted to see me. But here you are.” She rolls her eyes so hard I hope she’s having a seizure. “With her,” she adds with a huff.
Of course, he put her up to this. He’s fucking with my life.
“Have you told her?” she goes on.
My jaw clenches, refusing to answer that question.
“She’s going to find out, Sin. Sooner or later. I don’t mind if you play with her for now, but the time will come when you have to let her go.”
Looking at my door, I think of my options. I have to pacify Linc for now. Running a hand through my hair, I say, “I’ll call you.” Then I turn, giving her my back, but she grabs hold of my arm and yanks me to a stop.
“Promise?” Her eyes drop to my jeans and slowly run up to meet my eyes, pushing her body into mine.
My fingers curl around her upper arms, digging them into her skin, and she whimpers, her knees buckling, but I keep her upright. “I said I’ll fucking call you. Now go be a good little bitch and run along until I need you.” Shoving her away, I turn and enter my bedroom only to find it empty. “Elli?” I bark out but get nothing. The bathroom is also clear. “Fuck.” I hurry through the house, wondering how she got by me, and out the front door to see her getting in my sister’s car.
“Elli?” I bark out, but she ignores me, falling into the passenger seat before Kira takes off. “Goddammit.”
ELLINGTON
THIRTEEN YEARS OLD
I HOLD MY diary close to my chest as I walk down the hallway. I see the door open, so I step inside the room.
“Elli.” James looks up at me from behind his desk. “Come. Have a seat.” I sit down on the black leather couch, and he gives me a soft smile. “What did you learn today?”
My stepdad found out last week that I’ve been listening in on my mother’s sessions. He said he promised he wouldn’t tell on me, but in order for him to keep my secret, I had to take notes and share them with him. “Age play,” I say softly.
“Oh,” he says excitedly and gets up, coming around his desk to be closer to me. He sits down on the couch. “Go on.”
“Mr. Robbins likes to be his wife’s daddy.”
“How so?”
Swallowing, I direct my eyes back to the page. “He likes her to pretend to be his baby, and she calls him Daddy.”
“Like how I have you call me Daddy?” he asks, and I nod. “See, Elli, it’s okay to call me Daddy when we’re alone. We’re not the only ones who do it.” I bite my bottom lip nervously, and he frowns. “What is it?”
“He has her wear a diaper. I don’t want to wear one.”
Giving me a soft smile, he chuckles. “No diaper. What about a pacifier?” He reaches up and runs his thumb gently over my lips, my breathing picking up at the touch. “You’d look so pretty with something in your mouth, Elli.”
I pull back, and he drops his hand to his lap. My eyes are on my hands, and I try to calm my racing heart. “I guess…” I whisper, shrugging.
“That’s my good girl,” he says, gently pushing my hair behind my ear, and I raise my eyes to look at him. I like the way that sounds, and by the smile he’s giving me, he does too. “What if I told you I already have one for you?” Getting up, he walks over to his desk and opens a drawer. He pulls out a black box and comes back to sit next to me. Holding it out, he says, “Go ahead, open it.”
Reaching out, I push the lid open and see a black pacifier. Daddy’s girl is written across it in pink letters. I’ve seen these before. My mom’s friend has a baby, and she carries five everywhere she goes for her son. “It looks different,” I speak quietly.
He sets the box down next to him on the couch and removes it. “It is.” Holding it in his hands, he places it in front of me. “This is called a pacifier with a leather belt harness.”
I shift in my seat, and he notices. “There’s nothing wrong with being nervous, Elli. If you don’t like it, I’ll take it off.”
I run my sweaty hands along my jeans. “What does it do?” I ask, wanting to know. Mr. Robbins said that his wife loves hers. That she sucks on it all the time. And how much it turns him on watching her.
“This”—he points at the leather belt—“goes around your head. It’s like a belt you wear with your jeans. It fastens in place at the back of your head.”
My eyes widen, my pulse jumping in my neck. “So I can’t take it off.”
He nods. “You won’t be able to. But I can.”
I shift again, and a funny feeling between my legs makes my breath quicken. “I don’t know—”