“I’ll see to it right away, Master.”
“Shower thoroughly,” he ordered Luna. “Use the lotions I’ve provided you. When I call you back, answer promptly.”
“Of course, and thank you.”
He waved them out, and didn’t see the tear spill down his newest possession’s cheek as she kept her head down.
Well satisfied, he took a shower himself. He groomed, pampering his skin, studying his face and body in the wall of mirrors.
He found no flaws.
He dressed in lounge pants and a loose silk shirt, then left his bedroom suite to go to his private office. There he opened a vault and studied other possessions.
Cash, of course. He could never get enough of it. And those shiny things he loved to own and—when the occasional called for it—give out like party favors.
He selected a bracelet, fiery rubies meshed with icy diamonds. He’d order roses—red and white—and tuck the bracelet in with them.
He closed the vault, poured himself what he considered a well-deserved brandy, then sat at his massive desk. “Contact Iris, personal ’link.”
He started to frown when the ’link signaled a third time.
Then her face came on-screen. “Jonah, how lovely to hear from you.”
“I was about to cut the call.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I needed to move to a quiet spot. I’d just taken a scouting report.”
“And?”
“There’s no sign of that ungrateful girl. Infuriating when I think of the potential there, the waste of our time and efforts. But I’m determined it’s for the best. An obvious troublemaker. Simply a defective product.”
She sent him an easy smile. “I hope you haven’t found the selection I made for you defective or unsatisfactory.”
“On the contrary, I called to congratulate you on your invariably exquisite taste. She’s very much what I had in mind, and performed very well. I’ve named her Luna.”
“What a beautiful name. How kind of you.”
“I’m going to send you a little thank-you gift.”
“Oh now, that’s not necessary.” And she laughed. “But I’ll take it! While I’ve got you, I’ll tell you the preliminary marketing and plans for the auction are going exceptionally well. I expect us to see a major profit with this event. Enough we may want to discuss, more seriously, opening an academy in England.”
“Great minds. I’ve been toying with a manor house in the Lake District. It would need some work, of course, a considerable investment, but if you don’t grow, you stand still.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“We’ll take a closer look after the auction. Let’s be sure to replenish our supplies.”
“Not to worry. We acquired a new trainee tonight—or will have acquired when she arrives. A Pretty One. Supply and demand, Jonah, we meet both.”
“It’s a fine life we have, isn’t it, Iris?”
“Couldn’t be better. Enjoy your evening, and Luna.”
“Believe me, I will. Good night.”
He sat back with his brandy, gently swirling while he reflected on just how perfect his world was.
His parents, of course, would have been appalled. But then their world, their vision, had been so narrow, so staid. They’d never known the thrill of taking whatever you wanted, doing whatever you wanted, indulging every whim.
Then they’d died. He shook his head, sipped brandy.
They’d died never having stepped out of that narrow world, and left him—their only child—all the money, the properties, the business, the power.
He’d done as he’d wanted with it all, and now look at him. He had so much more.
In his world, his wide-open world, he was a god.
He lifted the snifter in a toast to self. In his world, he ruled, and no one could stop him.
* * *
Eve continued updating her board when Roarke walked back in.
“Anything?” she asked him.
“We’ll talk about it over dinner.” He moved straight through to the kitchen.
Sneaky way to get her to eat, she thought. Still, they’d had a kind of deal, so she stepped away from the board when he came back carrying two domed plates with a basket of bread balanced on top of one.
“I considered various ways to persuade you to take a soother.” He set the plates down at the table by the open balcony windows before backtracking to the wine rack behind a panel. “So let’s skip all the debate and arguing and compromise on half a glass of wine.”