“Well, affection is a strong word, but yes, Anya has earned a place in my heart.” I explain as I pull her towards me. I caress her face, briefly, she responds by leaning into my hand, asking for more, like a needy dog.
“Clearly she feels the same way about you.” Kala adds looking at her like you look at a clumsy puppy “Is it all right if I ask her a few questions?”
“Of course.” I answer, as if that doesn't upset me at all.
When, in fact, it fucking does?
“Anya, do you love your master?”
Sarah looks at me and I nod, giving her permission to answer. She looks at Kala for a second and then she looks back at me.
“I love him, ma'am.”
“Oh! How romantic! I love it! Would you give your life for him?”
“Without a doubt,” she responds robotically, though her words seem dead, I unconsciously wish them to be true.
I haven’t forgotten about ‘The Worm.’ Motherfucker is standing still, doing nothing but watching everything we say and do with his dead fucking eyes.
“And they say true love is dead,” Razzag murmurs. “What do you think, Amira?” The tone Razzag used sent a jolt into Kala and Amira, both tensing their bodies with a false smile on their faces.
“True love indeed, father.” Her voice is soft and shy.
Razzag, pleased with her answer, smiles and keeps on talking, overshadowing the momentary tension.
“We also have someone who won a place in all our hearts, Magno, he is practically part of the family, so we perfectly understand what it is to feel such love.”
“I'm glad to hear we have that in common,” I reply, pushing down the desire to pull out his teeth with a pair of ice tweezers sitting in an ice bucket nearby.
“Ahh. Speak of the devil and he shall appear, or so they say,” Kala claims while looking behind us.
I look over my shoulder and see him, Magno, as they call him.
Dante.
My little brother.
It's definitely him.
I can take advantage of this opportunity to study him thoroughly. I remember him as a pimply and hormone happy teen, now he is a mysterious and elegant full-grown man. His body is built like mine, the hair is longer than I expected and that makes me wonder if somehow, even after my efforts, we look alike.
I wish I could ask Sarah about it, but her eyes are down, as they should be.
Dante’s eyes locked with mine for just a millisecond. His submission is running deeply through his veins.
“Oh! There he is! We were just talking about you, dear Magno, this is Mr. Cox, and I was just telling him about how lucky we are to have you.” Says Razzag looking at my brother with true affection.
That’s fucking unsettling.
Dante leans forward and uses the same robotic tone that Sarah used,
“Serving the Hakme family is truly an honor, sir.”
“And we are honored to have you,” adds Kala.
What the fuck is this freak show!?
“Did you need something, Magno?” Wasim sharply asks, clearly envious of my brother’s spotlight.
“Yes, Master, the exhibition is about to begin, and they need Master Razzag to make the initial statements.”
“Oh! Excellent! Mr. Cox, I'm sorry but we’re going to have to end our pleasant conversation, I have to get something done before we can display the merchandise to our potential customers, if you know what I mean,” he walks towards me and places his hand over my shoulder, “I leave you in my son’s good hands. I’m sure he will exceed all your expectations.” He leaves and the disturbed family follows him close behind, including Dante.
Wasim smiles at me and says, “Let me show you to your accommodations, sir.”
