“I’m hungry, Mum,” he added insolently.
“You know where the kitchen is,” Alec replied, still studying her.
Ella.
“She’s a bit on the chubby side for you,” he said finally, handing the phone back.
“Or maybe I went along with what I thought everyone else preferred,” I said smoothly, slipping out of my jacket.
“There’s nothing wrong with her,” Nick said, tapping his screen.“If anything, she looks like she could take a good pounding.”
“Mmm,” Alec murmured.
“Bring her in tomorrow,” I said.“We’ll decide once we see her in person. I want to review potential candidates for us.”
“You’re serious,” Alec said, rubbing his beard.
“A debt is owed. We have leverage. She looks… malleable.”
When Alec sat beside Nick, I knew they were interested.
I turned to head upstairs and change out of my suit, giving them space to discuss it.
I found her account again as I climbed the stairs.
Young.
Hopeful.
A sparkle in her eyes.
Gullible.
???
We ate in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. They were thinking. I added more chilli oil to my stir-fry and waited.
“So how would it work?” Alec asked, reaching for the oil.
“You’ve seen her,” I replied.“How do you think I’d manage her?”
He glanced up from his plate, a slow smile spreading across his face.
“We’d want our preferences added to the mix,” he said, setting the spoon back in the bowl.
“Naturally.” I looked to Nick, who hadn’t said a word.“Nick?”
“I want a trial run,” he said. His jaw was clenched.
“You don’t like her?”
“I don’t think she’ll fit into our world,” he said.“Or adapt to all three of us.”
“You of all people should know how fear works,” Alec said, taking another bite of chicken.
“It’s a powerful motivator,” I added.“She’ll be tested to make sure she’s clean. Between the three of us, we can train her to conform to our needs. No condoms. No deception.”
I didn’t need to mention my mother. They knew I wasn’t a fool like my father.
