“You are a very hard woman to get by herself.” His words are delivered with a smile that chases a shiver down my spine. “Your friends are very loyal.” He continues as he steps into the room and looks around him. “I had to send them all for breakfast early, along with Mark who seems to be hovering over you.”
That snippet of information surprises me, but I don’t allow him to see it. I hope I have my emotions hidden.
“You didn’t know you were being watched?” He sounds amused.
I mentally kick myself. I was so easy to read. I need to focus on the floor or something so he can’t see my eyes.
“No,” I answer him as he stands staring at me. The depths of blackness in his eyes are endless.
Lucas’s father removes his gloves and my shoulders loosen. “We have rules in my home. We have rules in my community.” His smile sends another shiver racing down my spine. I tighten my hands in front of me.
“Why do you think we have rules, Ella?”
I hate my name on his lips. I can see the intimidating part of Lucas in this man, but that is as far as the similarities go.
Before I can answer him, he raises his hand. “To keep people in line, otherwise chaos would descend and with chaos comes a collapse of the community. It’s like a vicious dog, you must keep a tight hold on the leash, only let him go so far and hold it tight, but never release him.”
Is he comparing us young girls to vicious dogs? I don’t comment. I don’t think he wants me to anyway. He continues his lecture that is surely going to lead back to me fighting with Sandra. My stomach hollows with the thought of leaving.
“During this race for my son’s hand, there are rules.” He pauses and I nod.
He smiles. “If you put your hand on someone you are disqualified and sent home. We have a very clear example of this with Vicky, Who hurt you, and my son had her removed instantly.”
My heart skyrockets.
“If you threaten someone’s life, you are disqualified and sent home with no compensation package.”
Compensation package? I had no idea any of us got one.
Lucas’s father exhales loudly like he’s been pondering, but he hasn’t, this is rehearsed, he knows the end result. I just wish he got to it.
“So how do you plead Ella?”
Here it is, he is offering me an out as such. I want to take it, but what am I going back to? My mother? I will never see Lucas again. Will I get to say goodbye?
“I threatened her,” I answer honestly and look away from Lucas’s father with his gleeful smile.
“I know you did. I heard you. You aren’t stupid enough to lie to me.” His words grow harsher as he steps closer to me.
“You might think you have my son's protection Ella, but you don’t.”
I open my mouth to respond, ready to disagree. I had never thought for one second I had Lucas’s protection.
“I’m not looking for an answer.” His raised voice roots me to the spot. “You were also re-tested after being found with Alex?”
Fire flames across my chest and up my neck. Not this again. “Yes,” I answer.
“The results?” He raises a brow. He knows the results, why is he making me say it.
“I didn’t do anything.” I hate the quiver in my voice.
It’s a split second and Lucas’s father is in front of me. The sting of his gloves across my face has saliva pooling in my mouth. He steps back, it happens so fast. The air catches in my lungs. He just struck me.
“You have no manners. You’re like a petulant child. You must answer me with Yes, Master Andrew. The fact I even have to correct you on this is annoying.”
My hand touches my throbbing cheek and my vision blurs with tears. “Sorry, Master Andrew.”
He releases a heavy sigh and I’m questioning if he just did that. Did he really just hit me? My burning face confirms he did.
“Why were you late to the meal the night you made a mess at the table?”
My brain is scrambling. My burning face takes up too much. I try to push it down. “I got lost in the maze, Master Andrews.”
His smile is cruel. “And I am just to take your word for it that you weren’t with Alex again?”
I tighten my fists at what he is saying. I look away from him before he sees my anger. Focus, Ella, I tell myself.
“Of course not, Master Andrew.” I look up at him now. “Henry found me in the maze, he can vouch for me.” Jesus, I hope he did, but he is the only other person who saw me that day.
“Henry?” He seems surprised.
“Yes,” I bite out and his head snaps up to me, anger filling his eyes. A bolt of fear shoots through me. “Master Andrew.” I quickly correct myself.
“What will I do with you?” He’s taken a step closer to me. I can’t look away from the gloves he holds in his hands. My body is tight, waiting for him to strike out.
“I’m asking you a question.”
Sweat has gathered at the back of my neck and I want to scratch it but I don’t dare move. “I will get packing, Master Andrew. I did after all threaten Sandra.”
His laugh is harsh. “Oh, Ella. I’m not sending you home.”
My confusion overflows my system and my body grows heavy with a need to sit.
“You are the leash that I need to keep my vicious dog in line. He favors you, I see it. Everyone does. Personally, I don’t see why he would pick you.”
His words have my heart lifting at the acknowledgment that Lucas favors me, but also crashing at what he is saying.
“But, Alas, here we are. I will punish you for threatening Sandra and for being disrespectful on several occasions.”
I want to ask what my punishment will be but I hold still, trying to focus over the blood pounding in my ears.
He slowly places his gloves back on. “So here is my warning.” He looks up and smiles softly.
“Play nice.” He closes the distance and I lock my legs so I don’t instinctively step back. He’s glaring at me, his eyes roaming my face like he’s searching for something.
“Yes, Master Andrew.” My words have the desired effect. He steps back, turns on his heel and leaves my room.
In my bathroom mirror my face is raw, red from the slap. Taking a washcloth I run it under cold water, my hands shake as I try to complete the simple task without dropping it. Pushing the cold cloth against my face, the relief is almost instant. Water drops along the sleeves of my jumper, but I don’t care. I place the cloth under the cold water again before placing it back on my face. I stay at the sink and keep cooling my face down until the cold starts to pinch my skin. I refuse to meet my eyes in the mirror. I refuse to let what just happened sink in.
I didn’t want to give him any more power over me. This is my choice, what I do with this moment-and right now-I decide to bury it along with all my other moments.
I change my top and take my hair down, letting it cover my swollen cheek.
Everyone is at breakfast when I enter the dining room. I know it will take a lot to act normal. But he won’t win. I won’t hide. This is my way of standing up to him.
Talk ceases as I enter and I look up, refusing to be leashed. Sandra’s cheeks redden at the sight of me. She must have thought I was gone, and I use my little moment of victory and I smile at her. The pain in my cheek ignites at the movement.