“Oh no, you won’t be sitting there.” She looks back at him, before her eyes travel down to where he’s pointing. “I think this spot is more your style. After all, don’t all animals eat at their masters feet?” He chuckles darkly and the room is filling with gasps, whispers, and snorts.
She nods her head, as she untucks her hair from behind her ears until it falls around her face.
“Yes, sir,” he orders. Her jaw clenches as she stares at him through narrowing eyes before dropping down to her knees at his side.
“Yes, sir,” she says coldly, sounding detached from the situation. But I can tell by the rigidity in her shoulders and the way her jaw remains clenched that it’s all a façade.
“Missing the maids outfit, Snow,” Scott snorts out.
“Yeah, you can clean my toilet any day,” Ashley says, always having to join in, not that he’ll ever be counted amongst the rest.
“Now then, let’s eat.” He spreads his arms out and the waiters appear. Aeron and Tom keep glancing at her, but I can’t allow myself to.
I can’t be sure that he isn’t doing this to get a reaction out of me. If he wants to be in charge, then he’ll have to do more than this. I refuse to rise to the bait. I hate seeing her like that, submissive, kneeling at his feet with her head bowed, but my hands are tied. He owns her, and I can’t get involved, none of us can.
I was wrong last night, letting her take charge last night didn’t make me powerless, it just balanced it out. This, however, is different, because I am powerless and if I try to take it back, then I’ll lose everything.
I don’t even know why I want it.
“S-sir,” she croaks, and he pats her head like a damn dog as he stares down his nose at her.
“Yes, Little Mouse, what is it?”
“Will I be eating my food here? I-I-I h-h-h…”
“She hasn’t got any food,” Aeron drawls. At least he sounds as though he doesn’t give a shit. Maybe getting high does have it perks after all.
“She doesn’t need any.” He sticks his tongue in his cheek before dragging it over his mouth. “She can have my scraps, after all isn’t that how we treat our pets?” He laughs softly as his food is set in front of him, but he doesn’t touch it.
He just keeps patting her head, and I’m waiting for the moment he tries to scratch her behind the ear.
Half an hour ticks by and he passes her his scraps just like he said he would. He won’t even let her take it, instead he’s fucking feeding her. “Good girl, maybe you can be trained after all.” My blood is boiling, and I know I’m reaching my limit.
The minute the bell sounds, I’m out of there. I don’t need to see him degrading her any further. I want to demand her to tell me if he’s fucked her yet, but I know I can’t handle the answer if she says yes. I stalk the halls until I make it to the business class and the tutor only looks away as I stare her down. Yeah, try and keep me out.
I watch the door until Star walks in, her eyes are on the floor and even Maddox can’t bring a smile to her face.
“Please, Luna, talk to me. I just want to help,” he pleads with her, but her shoulders pull up to her ears as she cowers down into her seat, she hasn’t even realized that I’m right behind her.
Maddox looks at me, his eyes widening but he doesn’t say anything. He looks lost as he stares at Star and shrugs. His eyes and mouth are pulled tight around the corners, I actually feel for him. What is this girl doing to me?
I place my hand on her shoulder, waiting for her to turn around and notice me. Instead, she brushes me off and shifts closer to the desk, not even caring about who would do it.
I stand up until I’m right behind her and lean closer until my mouth is near her ear. Her hands tremble on the desk as she draws patterns on a blank piece of paper. A heart torn down the middle, and a yellow light being swallowed by darkness. I didn’t even know she could draw.
“Star.” Her hair stirs, and she whimpers at the sound of my voice, but she doesn’t move or say anything. Why the fuck is she ignoring me?
“Emmet, why are you here?” Maddox asks, staring between me and the tutor. She looks flustered, as though she’s not sure how to proceed.
“Well, are you going to try and teach us something, or not?” I say with a wave of my hand and she stutters, but no words come out.
“I’m here to learn, isn’t that why we call this place an academy?”
“You don’t take this class, you are in the advanced ones. Seriously, Emmet, please, leave.” He’s begging me to go. Well, I don’t have to listen to him now, do I?
“Are you trying to tell me what to do, little brother?” I raise my brows at him as I lift one side of my mouth.
“No, but I'm asking. Please, I’ll explain why later. If you stay, this morning won’t mean anything compared to what will come next.” His words register in my mind. I always recognize a threat, I’ve grown accustomed to receiving them. But I also know that that one isn’t coming from him, it just isn't his style.
“Very well, enjoy your little class. I’ll be seeing you, Star.” I trail a finger down the column of her neck, but she flinches away.
After last night, I just wasn’t expecting this.
A light tap on my door, and the only one polite enough not to holler is Maddox. I’ll never understand him. How did he end up so… Maddox?
“Enter,” my voice comes out darker than I intend, but who cares? There’s no love lost between us, at least not on my side.
“Hi, Emmet,” he says, as he enters my room and closes the door behind him.
“Take a seat,” I say, indicating the new sectional I had brought in this morning.
He glances around before taking a seat, he doesn’t say a damn word as I sit down on my chair and wait for him to explain what the fuck was going on this morning.
“I know you hate me because of… because of what I am.” He chokes on the words, and my eyebrows pull together. Is that really what he thinks?
“Mad, I don’t care that you’re gay. I don’t understand it, but you like what you, well, like. You really think I have an issue with that?” I stand up and grab the whiskey and two glasses, and his eyes widen as I offer him a glass.
“Well, yeah. That’s why Shane beats the shit out of me, isn’t that why you treat me with such apathy? I may as well not exist in your world.” His voice is low, and I never realized he thought about it this way.
“I despise Shane, love Alexa, and pity you. We don’t do pity, Mad. It’s easier to just roll with the punches and act as though you don’t register.” It sounds so heartless and cruel, but our family doesn’t allow sentiment.
“Okay, so you don’t hate me. Then, please, listen when I say this, Mett. You can’t talk to Luna anymore.” He swallows down the whiskey as I tighten the glass in my grip. I stare at it, the liquid sloshing up the sides, before I toss it at the wall.
“Why is that?” I growl, my eyes narrowing as he swallows hard before gently placing his glass on the table.
“Thallon has ordered it. She’s not allowed to acknowledge you anymore, or Aeron. He didn't include Tom, but I’m sure it’s just a foresight that he will soon rectify. She’ll be in for a world of trouble if she does, and you know there are plenty of girls who are more than willing to go running to him just to see her get punished. If you keep pursuing her, she won’t be able to resist. She cares about you, Emmet.” He pulls something out of his pocket and passes it to me.