Page 91 of Volatile Waters

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Eruptions of the Heart

I had once again stayed the whole night with Wolf. I simply didn’t want to let him go. In the morning, I was contemplating moving him into my room, but by then, I was unraveling again. Father was traveling more and more to help Uncle set up another location. Uncle was going to live there and build it up to be a million-dollar set-up, like ours. I guess one wasn’t enough.

In Father’s office, with the doors closed, he told me, “Do not think I have not noticed you slowly wanting to take charge.” He shrugged. “It has been the plan all along. So, let us see if you truly have what it takes. While I work with my brother, you are in charge here. If you screw this up, I will kill you.” He announced my death as if merely another deal being made. I stood there, stunned and pissed that I cared about how expendable he viewed my life to be. Then he casually asked, “How is my retirement plan coming along?”

I exhaled, trying to find the strength to continue this elusive and demented façade my life had become. Maybe it always was this way, but I was only now realizing the truth. “I still need time with him, but I am pleased with what he is becoming.”

“Have you fucked him yet?”

My ears began to ring. It felt wrong to discuss Wolf like this. Never had discussing a slave’s training been an issue for me. So, I swallowed and nodded. “He… He will soon be everything our client could desire.” My stomach turned.

While Father was gone, I handled the business, monitored other trainers and Elites, trained my own, made sure deliveries went smoothly and newcomers were housed properly, and prevented employees from abusing their privileges because damaging product meant losing money. Yet, there were only two places I wanted to be. My polar opposites: Wolf and Fire. I didn’t want to be told when I could see them or how I chose to do it. They were mine. I didn’t appreciate anyone else feeling they had a right to them, even the client who was waiting for one of them. A price had been accepted for Wolf. I was going to lose him within months, and it made me hostile and unpredictable.

In a hallway down in the basement, I held out the white gold collar and leash for all present employees to see. It looked more like a long silver necklace. “He is our prized possession. He is Le Crème de la crème. So, if you see the leash, step away. One mark on him and you will be dead. Am I understood?” They all nodded, their eyes locked on the item that represented money and death, all in one sparkle.

Now, I had to convince Wolf to wear it.

“A fucking collar?” He bit into his perfect apple. I made sure every bit of food brought to him was just that, as perfect as he.

In his dark room, I stepped close to him, hoping my touch would help convince him. Holding the nape of his neck, I kissed him, tasting the sweetness of the leftover apple. “This collar means so much more than you think. It is a protection of sorts. It shows your value and that you are off-limits.”

He winced. “Off-limits?” He blinked. “What about the rest of the slaves?”

Again, he was worried about my abductees. “What does that matter?”

He pushed at my clothed chest. “Them being here is wrong. Me being here is wrong.” He threw the apple against a wall. “Are you raping these people and then making love to me?”

My jaw slacked, leaving me gaping. I was dumbfounded that he thought anything else.

His eyes bored a hole into my heart. “You do.” He started pacing while talking more to himself. “Why would I think you’re not? It is who you are…” He stopped, and looking horrified, shouted, “What does that make me?” He faced me. “What does that make me!”

I rushed to him and pulled him into my arms. Rocking him, I tried to calm him. “What I do has nothing to do with you. You are forced to be here. You are innocent.”

Holding me as if he were scared, he claimed, “But I wouldn’t leave you if I wasn’t forced. If my buyer changed his mind,” he peered at me, “I would still want you.”

Father had just told me a mistake would have me killed. Wolf just learned I was as evil as I had been claiming, yet he still wanted me. My mouth crashed to his with a passion that had me breathless. Somehow, being with Wolf made me not care about oxygen. The way he kissed me back, forcing me to sit on the bed, was so all-consuming, sucking air into my lungs wasn’t needed.

Only him.

I let the collar fall onto the bed so I could hold him, but he pushed me back to pull down my pants, demanding, “Shirt. Off.” I immediately fought with the buttons while watching him undress me. Once I was free of all clothing, he pulled me back to a sitting position and said, “Hold me.”

As he straddled my lap and took me inside him, I held him as tight as I could because his arms were wrapped around my neck with a desperation I had yet to feel from him. Not willing to let him fall, physically or emotionally, my arms pulled him closer, his erection planted between us. I had to make him feel safe. I just had to. My insides demanded it. “I will stop being with others.”

His lips found mine in a ferocious attack. It was divine.

He told me, “Tell me, if you had the chance to walk away, you would, with me?”

At that moment, I meant my words. “I would. I swear it.” And I prayed I could someday stand by them.

He deeply kissed me again before saying, “Do it. The collar. Now.”

I couldn’t stake a claim on Wolf because he was already sold and paid for, but in my heart, I was claiming him none-the-less. As I wrapped the white gold around his neck, the length hanging down his perfect chest, I whispered, “You are mine.”

His eyes welled as he whispered in return, “Until my new owner claims me… Master.”

The pain those words brought to my chest was unfathomable. To this day, I still feel the hot lava that erupted inside me. That’s why everything that happened next was part of the volcanic eruption named Yury.