“I gather it wasn’t positive from your expression.” He acts like this is a normal fucking family moment. “I thought we were close, little shadow.”
“No,” Delilah spits as she sits up on her knees, ripping the thin curtain away from the foot of the bed. “It’s because of what you are. Sick fucking cunt.”
Lennox has strange rules around etiquette, so I try to warn her. “Delilah.”
My uncle raises his hand, stopping me while staring at my wife. “Allow her to speak as freely as her bravery will allow.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” she scoffs while I gauge the quickest route to grab the knife on the window ledge if he goes for her. “What are you going to do? Tie me up again?”
“That isn’t my role.” Lennox softens, lowering his voice. “I would apologize for what you had to endure at their hands, but it’s not mine to give.”
“You’re Lennox?”
“Yes.” He steps forward. I follow as he remains focused on my wife. “You, more than most, know what Rowan is capable of, little doe. Remember, fear doesn’t have to be a bad thing.” I think she’s safe because he speaks to her in the same tone he does with me as he lowers to his haunches. “Fear is a natural instinct, a warning your body provides because it wants to stay alive. It can also be a barrier between you and something far worse.”
“Have you been here the whole time?” I ask, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“I’m here to collect you,” he says simply, resting his arms on his knees to push his gloves flush between his fingers.
“You’re not taking Kane without me.” Delilah grabs my arm, but Lennox looks at her with a small smile playing on his lips. It’s almost pride but he never shows a lot of emotion, so it could be trapped wind for all I know.
“I’ll leave you to talk.” He straightens up to his full height then walks out of the room, his steps stopping close to the door. I tell myself it’s because he’s not like the others as I cup Delilah’s face in both my hands, lightly pressing my lips to her forehead.
“It’s your plan, remember? I’ll come back, but they need to think I’m like them.”
“You’re not leaving me here on my own.” Her nails dig into my skin. “You’re supposed to help me.” There’s so much fear in her eyes, more fear than I ever instilled in her.
“I am helping you, koukla mou.”
“No.”
“Yes. Now, shut the fuck up and wait for me to lock my cunt up so no one touches what’s mine.”
I push her off me and go to the window to take the chastity belt and key. The knife is still there so I tuck it into the back of my boxers. The metal of the belt is cold as fuck from being exposed to the air for so long.
“Do not fucking argue with me, Delilah. Or I’ll tie you to the bed.”
Hurt flashes across her face but she remains kneeling on the bed as I go into the bathroom. Running the hot water, I hold the belt under the stream as it slowly heats. Once the scalding water has heated the metal, I wipe the moisture off it, then test it won’t burn her on the inside of my bicep.
She doesn’t physically fight me as I go back to her. I push against her chest, laying her on back before I pick up her foot and kiss her ankle. “Good girl. I’ll kill anyone who touches this. Including you. Don’t even try to take it off.”
“What if…” She looks to the side as her cheeks turn ruddy.
I carefully place her feet through the designated holes then pull the metal belt up her legs as I stand. “What if?”
“How do I go to the toilet?”
“Don’t worry.” I laugh as I lean over her, cupping her cheek. “I’m sure your shit smells like roses.”
“I’m being serious.” She knocks her knee into my side. “I could get sick. How long will you be gone for?”
I shrug, trying to distract her by literally talking about shit. “Go in the shower after you pee or anything, it’ll wash anything away. There’s gaps in the metal for it to be functional.”
“You’ll come back?”
“Always.”
“You won’t leave me here?”
