Rissa looked down at his hand as it sank deep into her flesh, biting into her with pain. She began to laugh, throwing her head back, her laughter almost hysterical.
Her laughter enraged him. Mateo walked ahead of them and unlocked the door to their hotel suite, checking inside and then holding the door open for them to enter. Both he and Hyde remained emotionless as the drama played out in front of them.
Alec led her through the door and gave Mateo a look that indicated he was to stand guard outside the door. Both Mateo and Hyde took their stations on either side of the hotel room door, as Alec closed and locked it behind them. Alec spoke to her through gritted teeth, holding his beast at bay. "What the fuck is going on here?"
Rissa hissed, holding her own beast down. "I should be asking you the same? Wait, is my master actually showing me some attention. I almost missed it. Or didn’t recognize it, it’s been so damn long."
Rissa knew she was walking a fine line and she didn’t care. Stepping into his face, she locked eyes with him. "You can’t win this without me. I’ve done all you’ve asked. You think I don’t notice how you look at the female staffers? And you expect me to sit back and smile like I don’t care. Why don’t you rip my heart out and feed it to the bitches waiting in line to fuck you? They whimper when you look at them. You’re so ridiculous in your attempts to charm them. What about me?”
Alec bared his teeth at her, issuing a low growl as his hand encircled her throat. "What about you? Can you stand to not be in the spotlight for one fucking minute? It’s always about you, Rissa, always, the Darling of G-town, always on the front page of the society section. Well, now you have national attention, so fucking act like it. Don’t screw this up for me!"
Her rage went into full swing. She clawed at his hand and broke free of him. Lowering her head, her eyes blazing red, she growled out each word, "You want a show? Oh, I’ll give them a show like never before.”
In one quick move, he slammed her against the wall, holding her there immobilized, speaking through gritted teeth. "There will be no show. If you aren't capable of doing your job, I’ll gladly make excuses for your absence. I'm sure you won't be missed if I have to tell everyone the Darling of G-town isn't feeling well this evening. She regrets she’ll have to spend the night alone in the hotel room, sipping a light broth to sooth her delicate stomach. Don't think for one minute I won't post Hyde and Mateo both on your ass, and you won't be going anywhere. And if you think, for one minute, your precious Hyde will come to your rescue, think again.
“And you...you dare to accuse me of my wanton thoughts? You think I don't see what goes down between you two? I allow it because it amuses me, and I know the warrior won't act on your desires. So, let's not act so sweet and innocent, shall we? I'm sure Kelsey can fill your shoes for the evening quite nicely, in more ways than one."
Rissa understood his threat to abandon her here and replace her with that bitch. Defeated, she lowered her eyes, her voice soft and pleading. "Hyde has never touched me. I’ve never touched another without your consent. No one can fill my shoes, no one can love you like I can, because I know you. I know you, Alec, and I feed and heal all that haunts you. I don’t mean to disappoint you. I don’t know what else to do to please you. I keep failing."
Alec slowly released the hold on her neck as she slid to the floor on her knees.
"I beg you, let me attend with you, Alec. Don’t leave me here alone. I don’t want to be alone."
Alec paced the floor. "Empty promises, Rissa. You keep saying you’ll do better, then as soon as you don't get your way, I have to go through this crap all over again."
He walked to the window, looking out over the city, debating whether to take her with him today, or give her some cooling off time. He shook his head. He couldn’t afford to have her screw up in front of the press. Turning back to her, he barked, "Give me your phone."
Rissa raised her head and looked at him in complete puzzlement. "What? My phone?"
He grabbed her handbag and rummaged through it, extracting her phone and sliding it in his jacket pocket. "You're staying here today. Calm yourself down. Take a long bath or whatever the hell you do. Don’t leave this room. Do you understand? I'm leaving Hyde here, stationed outside. You’re to be ready for the fund-raising dinner when I return at seven. I'll decide, then, if you're calm enough to go."
Rissa watched in shock as he took her phone and gave her his orders. Clutching her chest, she called out to him in a strangled cry, "No, Alec, no."
She scrambled on hands and knees, trying to get to his ankles, like a beggar. He rushed out the door, and she stopped and hung her head. She’d been abandoned by her master. He’d leave her as he went out without his darling Rissa. She fell to the floor in tears. They’d all laugh at her now. She was a joke, his failure. The Darling of G-town confined to a hotel room, alone.
Hyde and Mateo snapped to attention as he exited. Alec told Mateo to come with him and told Hyde he was to stand guard outside the door until he returned. "Do you understand me? Outside. No visiting. And if she asks for your phone, the answer is no."
Hyde looked straight ahead and answered. "Yes, sir."
Hyde and Mateo made brief eye contact as Mateo fell in line behind Alec.
Rissa spent the day with nothing to do, no company, no phone, alone with no contact. She tried to talk to him telepathically, but he’d blocked her. She lay in the bed for hours, crying. He’d never abandoned her before, and she couldn’t bear the loneliness. This was how it would feel if he released her. She’d be shunned by any other master, and she’d never fit in back in the mortal world. She wondered if he could win this election without her, and she felt a stabbing pain to think of him reaching his goals without her. He’d stop at nothing, with or without her. Rissa was a fighter, but she couldn’t fight Alec. He always got what he wanted in the end, and what he wanted was to be the President.
With sudden clarity, she realized no matter what happened, win or lose this campaign, if she didn’t have Alec, she didn’t have anything. With heaviness in her heart, she went to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. She looked a mess, and she knew if he was going to take her with him this evening she’d better pull herself together.
She showered and washed her hair, brushing it until it glowed. Looking through the closet, she chose a blue cocktail dress that was simply cut and accented her eyes. She picked out shoes of black and blue that has been designed for her, the perfect height to compliment his stature. She selected several expensive but tasteful pieces of diamond jewelry. The look was elegant, and classic.
She braided her hair in a French braid on the back of her head, secured it with a diamond clip, leaving a few soft tendrils around her face. Her makeup was applied modestly. Rissa stood before the mirror and was pleased with the look. Classic, elegant, and understated, it’s what he’d asked for. She sat for the longest time, her hands clasped in her lap, waiting for his return.
Alec hurried back to the hotel after a full day of campaigning. He hated to admit it, but the day had gone much smoother without her. As he and Mateo approached the hotel suite door, Alec addressed Hyde. "Any problems?"