“What are we talking about?” Catherine pressed.
“A costume party. The club upstairs has them once a quarter. We draw our largest crowds when we host them.” Emmeline tossed a napkin toward me. “How would you know since not once have you donned a mask and joined in as long as we’ve been doing them? So you know, dear boring brother of mine, the costumed events are the reason Indulgence developed such an incrediblereputation and why we’re wall to wall with guests every night. Our festive events allow people to indulge in their darkest fantasies. Even you must have one or two.”
“No, sister of mine. Indulgence obtained our reputation from beating the competition. And my fantasies are much too dark for anyone else.”
“Forgive my brother,” Emmeline told Catherine. “He lost his ability to live his life years ago.”
“And forgive my sister; she believes life is one festive event instead of realizing there are vultures around every turn. When you aren’t paying attention, feeling comfortable and safe in their presence, they pick away at you until one day they manage to strip away your soul.” I could tell my frank words had caused pain. Something else I was good at.
Emmeline shook her head, questioning me with her silence. I was hurting my beautiful baby sister for what reason? Because I couldn’t control my emotions regarding a woman who could be attempting to destroy my life.
“Alexander,” Catherine admonished, or perhaps she was shocked I could be so cruel. She would soon learn that I was nothing but vindictive. That’s why I remained alive.
“Would you like a glass of wine, Catherine? I plan on tossing another into my brother’s face. He doesn’t know when to shut the hell up.”
“No, he doesn’t. I’d love to go to the event tonight, but I don’t have a costume.” Catherine’s face was riddled with anger as well as confusion. “And I’ll be glad to toss the wine for you after I’ve enjoyed a glass.”
Emmeline’s features softened, but not before I noticed a single tear had formed in her eye. “I have plenty of costumes or simply masks you can wear. You can be my guest if my brother doesn’t get his stick out of his ass. Let me get you that wine. Red or white?”
“Red since I’m seething with anger.”
My sister chuckled. “Maybe you’ve met your match, Alex. I doubt Catherine will take the crap you toss out like everyone else does, kowtowing to your biddings.” She turned on her heel and walked from the bakery without looking back.
While I exhaled, my jaw hadn’t become any less clenched.
Catherine wrapped her arm around mine and I allowed her to pull me away from the customers. “What is wrong with you? Did you see the look on your sister’s face? Why would you do that? She adores the ground you walk on.”
“Because she needs to learn before it’s too late that there are venomous snakes everywhere. She’s too soft.”
“And maybe you need to learn humility and how to enjoy your life like your sister is doing.” She decided now would be the time to try to pull away from me. That wasn’t going to happen. With a firm grip, I yanked her against me, lowering my head so what I was about to say only she could hear.
“Remember, you are my guest.”
“Then act like I’m not your prisoner.” Every time she placed her hand on my chest, a strange feeling of resolve settled in. Forget the peace. She had a control over me that defied logic. When she offered a tentative smile, some of the anger faded.
But not all.
What she was hiding would be discovered by the end of the night.
And God help her if she’d been playing me.
“You wanted me to see a reflection of your life. I’ve seen the ugliness. Why don’t you show me the light?”
If she only knew that she’d seen nothing of the ugliness she’d associated with my obsessive needs. However, she was right. Every soulful search of her eyes created an even clearer delineation of the differences. Why not? What did I have to lose?
“You’re right. I apologize.”
She acted as if she was shocked, but leveled me with a look that could only be described as passionately formidable. My cock ached once again. This woman and the way I felt about her, the need that kept my mind preoccupied was at the point of madness.
Yet I still couldn’t get enough.
“Do you like chocolate?”
Blinking, she wasn’t certain how to answer. “My mother says I live and die by chocolate. What do you have in mind?”
I’ll be damned if she wasn’t disarming with her charm and beauty. “You don’t know chocolates. At all. Allow me to introduce you to sheer indulgence.”
“You should have seen your face,” Catherine cooed just before bursting into laughter.
