She drew back and for the first time since I arrived at the mansion, she actuallysmiled.I wondered if I was looking at the same woman from a few minutes ago.
“You two!” Margaret said, spinning towards Theo and Adriel. “Prepare a feast for Benji at once. No expenses spared. Whatever he wants, he gets. Is that clear?”
“Yes, mother,” Adriel said, bowing.
Theo saluted, and I saw the excited grin on his face. “Right away!”
They rushed off, leaving us alone with the elder vampire who wanted to kill me just a little while earlier.
“I’m so proud of both of you.” She gazed up at Pierce with a loving expression. “You, my boy, are a perfect son.”
Pierce blinked in confusion, but he wasn’t about to refuse a compliment. “Thank you, mother.”
“I must go see to the servants and your brothers,” Margaret said. “All of your needswillbe met, Benjamin.”
I blushed at her use of my full name. “Just Benji is fine.”
She wasn’t listening. “If you require anything at all, simply ask. Oh, we must arrange a doctor - no, two doctors on call, at any given moment…”
She kept muttering to herself as she wandered off.
“Well, that was interesting,” I said to Pierce.
“Indeed,” he said. “You’ve just saved us all, Benji.”
I couldn’t deny it, so I just shrugged sheepishly. “It’s worth it. To save my brother and have a family with you…”
Pierce scooped me up into his arms like I weighed nothing. I yelped. “Seriously, you gotta warn me before you do that.”
Pierce chuckled and kissed me. “Of course, my love.”
12
Pierce
A few days later, Benji and I were relaxing the bathing pool when he received two phone calls.
One of the bat servants squeaked as it approached, carrying Benji’s cell in its tiny claws. A muffled voice came from the line.
“You know we do not like to be disturbed while in the bath,” I told the bat gently.
It squeaked back sheepishly.It sounded important!
Benji raised a brow and took the phone. “Hello?”
Instantly, someone on the other end of the line began screaming at him. Benji winced and pulled the phone away from his ear. Even without my sharpened hearing, every word was crystal clear.
“Where the everloving fuck have you been, Benji? You think you can just quit your job without warning by not showing up one day? Do you know how many shifts I’ve had to scramble together to cover your stupid ass? Why, I - “
I picked the phone from Benji’s hand and spoke. “Excuse me. With whom am I speaking?”
The voice cut short, obviously fuming, then came the scathing reply. “This is Benji’s boss. And with whom the fuck amIspeaking?”
“This is Pierce Tenebrae of the Tenebrae Group,” I said.
“Why the fuck should I - wait a second, why does that sound familiar?” Then the man gasped and instantly went silent.
I couldn’t help but smile in amusement .“I understand you must be frustrated, but it’s quite rude to swear at a former employee, whatever the reason may be,” I continued. “Remind me again, sir, which business it is you work for?”
