Chewing slowly, I frowned. “What?”
Shaking her head, Fran turned her gaze back on the book. “Nothing. Just thought you looked... different that’s all.”
Different? The strawberry in my mouth became hard to swallow. Could she tell what had just happened with Blackthorn? Was I that transparent? I had thought I’d hidden it well, but maybe I hadn’t.
“I’m fine.” I forced a smile and picked up the glass of juice she had left on the table for me. “Just not sure I’m being much help.”
“Well, I don’t think I’m going to find anything useful in this one,” she said. “I’m going to head down to the library and see if they have a different book.”
“Alright,” I murmured, busying myself with stuffing my face so she didn’t know how anxious I was for her to leave.
Once Fran gathered her books and left, I hopped off the sofa and headed to Blackthorn’s closet. Swinging the door open, I skipped inside. Most of the closet was lined with rows and rows of black-on-black clothing. While one side had been fitted with a few of my own outfits. I went to Blackthorn’s side and gleefully started taking things down.
When my arms were loaded down, I marched back into the bedroom and toward the window. Half of me wondered if he would be cautious enough to lock it after my last stunt, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it opening with ease.
I let out a little yip as I threw the clothes over the windowsill. I grinned as I watched them flutter down into the overgrown garden, landing on trees and bushes, even in a dirty fountain. With a little dance and a giggle, I rushed back to the closet tograb more, wondering how far I could get through the closet before Blackthorn figured it out.
Turns out, quite a lot.
My arms were filled with every last bit of clothing from his closet when Fran walked in, Blackthorn trailing behind her.
“Hello,” I chirped, continuing as if they hadn’t appeared.
Fran’s eyes bulged from her head as she watched me move toward the window, while Blackthorn calmly stepped further into the room.
“My dearest Mara, what exactly do you think you’re doing?”
I locked eyes with Blackthorn over my shoulder. “Exactly what it looks like.” My eyes still on him, I threw the remainder of his clothes out the window. Then dusting my hands off, I strolled over to the sofa and sat down, picking up my glass of juice from earlier.
Blackthorn watched me as if I were some exotic creature he’d just discovered. He leaned against the bed post, crossed his arms, and put one ankle over the other, his head tilting to the side as he studied me.
“Would you like to tell me why you have thrown all my clothes out the window?”
I contemplated not telling him a reason. To just let him think I was unhinged and doing it for none other than I wanted to. Except the idea that he might decide to eat me instead of sending me home made me picking the more rational choice.
“You wear too much black.” I waved a hand at him, before crossing it under my breasts. “It’s depressing. I look at you and all I see if a funeral march.”
Blackthorn took a moment to answer, his words calculated. “I see.”
Fran watched our exchange with visible confusion and terror. Clearly, she didn’t know how her master would react to my actions, and I felt a little bad about not giving her a heads-up.
“Fran,” Blackthorn said without turning his head away from me. “Will you give us a moment? I’ll let you know when you can come back.”
“Y—yes, of course, master.” Fran shot me a worried glance before scurrying out of the room. The door clicking behind her sounded more like a prison door than a bedroom one.
I stared Blackthorn down, trying my best to hide the fear as I gripped my cup so my hand didn’t shake.
How would he react? Was this it? Would he finally decide that I was too much trouble and let me go? Or had I angered him to the point of murder?
The unknown was much worse than whatever action he chose to take. With slow, precise movements, he moved away from the bed and sat down on the sofa beside me, which made my heart pound hard in my chest.
Without a word, Blackthorn took my glass from my hand and placed it on the table. My eyes zeroed in on his every movement, unsure what he would do next. Leaning into me, he cupped my chin with his hand, his thumb brushing my lips.
“It’s clear to me that you are feeling neglected and, instead of using your words, you are acting out.”
I opened my mouth to refute him, but it turned into a shriek of surprise as I was thrown over his lap. “What? What are you doing?”
Blackthorn laid an arm over my back, flipping my skirt up to expose my thin undergarments before putting his arm over my thighs keeping me in place. “Since you have chosen to act like a child, then I shall have to punish you like one.”
