The conflicting emotions that flickered across Alex’s and Bella’s faces when Lisa and Ken were brought to the Wolf made Trish feel a little better about her own reactions. She wasn’t the only one to feel a sense of satisfaction, of a kind of karmic justice, at the new captives’ predicament.
The expression on the Wolf’s face was the most interesting, though. He watched Alex’s and Bella’s reactions with a benevolent expression on his face—the kind of expression someone wore when they gave a gift. Was this his gift to Bella and Alex? A punishment for their cheating exes as a present from the Wolf?
Earthers had an entirely different morality from the people on the Moon. Then again, the morality on the Moon wasn’t all that great in a lot of areas, either. Trish wasn’t sure which she preferred.
Ken started shouting threats and was gagged. Trish was a little surprised, since he was the son of one of the ministers colluding with the Wolf and might have a point. But it seemed the Wolf didn’t care all that much about that particular alliance. That, or he felt it was secure enough for him not to care about Ken’s father’s reaction.
The Wolf waved his hand and looked over to Nurse Roche, who stood along the wall near one of the doors. “Nurse Roche, please take Slut and Bitch to be processed. I’d like to spend a little bit of quality time with my Pet and Toy before they go.”
Slut and Bitch. Surprisingly apt nicknames. The Wolf had apparently figured out exactly who they were.
As Nurse Roche came over to lead Lisa and Ken away, several guards assisting, Jordan began to pull Trish toward the door where they’d come in. Trish glanced back at the dais, where the Wolf had Bella squirming on his lap, one hand on her throat while Alex knelt between her spread legs. Trish was surprised Jordan didn’t want to watch.
Trish was concerned by her twinge of disappointment at realizing she and Jordan weren’t going to watch what was probably the last time Bella and Alex would be on display.
Being here on Earth had done a number on Trish’s head.
Jordan felt strange as he took Trish out of the room.
His stomach churned, his chest was tight, and it felt like his jaw was permanently clenched. The last time he’d felt like this… well, it had been before he’d met the Wolf.
He didn’t like it.
But he had to obey the Wolf’s orders.
While the Wolf extended Jordan more leniency than anyone else, there were certain things he was resolute on. Like the previous warlord, the Wolf allowed his soldiers to take a man or woman who caught their fancy. His soldiers were given the opportunity to show their captives what life would be like, but then they had to let them go.
No one could complain because the Wolf followed his own rules. He always let his captives go.
Most of the Wolf’s soldiers didn’t have to go through offering freedom more than once. The majority of those taken by his soldiers chose to stay. Life was better in the Wolf’s compound: safer, more stable, and his people were all good at providing pleasure. Although the Wolf’s domain extended beyond the compound, his territories still weren’t as safe as it was behind these walls.
The Wolf insisted on giving the choice though—a drastic change from when the old warlord had ruled. When the Wolf had taken over and forced the old lord’s soldiers to release anyone who wanted to go, there had been a mass exodus.
Some had come back eventually, but not many, and very few to the person they’d left.
Jordan wished he was more sure of Trish. Even though he was determined to go after her again once he’d left the Wolf’s employ, he now realized hewantedher to choose to stay with him.
It would mean something if she did.
Something intangible. Something Jordan had never had.
Something he hadn’t known he’d wanted until this moment.
And he had to ask her now because Alex and Bella would be leaving within the next couple of hours. Trish had to be given the option of going with them.
Jordan took her back to his room and sat her down on the bed before stepping back and crossing his arms over his chest as if to try to hold in the uncomfortable emotions he couldn’t control.
“You have a choice.” He jumped straight into the conversation. He didn’t know any other way to broach things, after all. Trish sat on the edge of the bed in the position he’d placed her, the way she always did in the mornings. Herobedience helped to calm him, but only a little. “I’m… retiring, for the lack of a better word. I have all the money I need and a place on an island near the equator. The Wolf is going to promote Zadia in my place and will only call on me if he has need.”
Trish stared up at him silently.
This was the hard part. The part he had to force his jaw to unclench for so he could get the words out. The part that made his heart hammer inside his chest.
“You can come with me.”
He’d said it as more of an order than anything else. It was what he wanted.
“Or … stay here?”
