Cal rose from his perch on a love seat, Brianne sitting next to him, and greeted us. “Welcome, welcome. Make yourselves comfortable. Relax. It’s a party after all.”
He stepped forward and took my hand. My skin crawled, and Vinemont’s fingertips pressed more firmly into my waist.
“Come, let me chat you up. These boys can do without you for a few minutes, right Sin?”
Vinemont froze and focused on me. Would he refuse?
Cal faked a laugh. “But, wait, what was I thinking? Lucius is the proud owner now. I was confused, what with the girl on your arm, Sin, instead of your brother’s.” He gave Vinemont an acid smile and turned to Lucius. “So, may I speak with Stella for a moment?”
Lucius grinned and pulled Brianne up from her seat. Her eyes still bore a glassy sheen, and I wondered if she would even remember tonight. “You talk to that one. I want to talk to this one.”
“That’s my man.” Cal laughed as Lucius dragged Brianne a couple of sofas over and hauled her into his lap. “Now, Sin, if you don’t mind? I do believe Lucius gave permission.” There was an edge in Cal’s voice, and his fingers started to crush mine.
“Sin?” Red jerked his head toward the door. “Can I speak to you?”
“You’re speaking to me right now.” Vinemont didn’t look at Red.
“I mean in private, asshole.” Red’s anger flared like the head of a match in the dark.
I held my breath. Maybe Vinemont would refuse Cal. Maybe something had changed. I was desperate for it to be true.
It wasn’t. Vinemont dropped his hand. Cal sat and yanked me down next to him, the seat still warm from Brianne’s presence.
Vinemont held my gaze, unwavering even as Cal put an arm around me and pulled me closer. Renee’s words about playing along echoed in my mind, but I still had the urge to fight Cal off, to do anything other than submit. I wanted Vinemont to pull me up and take me out of here. Instead, after a second prompting from a jittery Red, Vinemont broke our connection and walked away to speak with him.
Lucius had long since gotten lost in Brianne, his hand in her dress and his mouth on her neck. I was left with Cal.
“So,” he leaned in and inhaled at my ear, “tell me about you, Stella.”
“What, you aren’t going to drug me first like Brianne?” I tried to shift away from him but his grip tightened on my upper arm.
“You think I drugged her?” He tsked and pierced me with a withering look. “She drugged herself when she got here. She’s weak. Can’t handle it. You, on the other hand, handle all of it with surprising grace. The way you took that whipping…” He made a humming sound, as if the memory was particularly tasty for him. “I’ll never forget the blood on your pale skin.”
He released my arm and ran his fingers down my back. I struggled to stay calm.
“You’re something special.” He moved closer, his mouth at my ear. “Did Sin know you were special when he chose you? Or did he only figure it out once he had a taste?”
“Get off me.” I leaned away from him but he clutched my waist and kept me tucked to his side.
“Do you ever behave?” He laughed and let his gaze drop to the deep neckline of my dress and then to the slit at my thigh.
“I’ll scream.” My heart was racing, fear oozing along my body wherever Cal touched me.
“Do you think anyone here will care? Come now. I just want a little taste is all. I have a thing for redheads.” When his lips hit my neck, I had to tamp down my cry. I scanned the room for Vinemont, but he and Red must have stepped into the hall. I couldn’t see Lucius, though I had no hope of help from him anyway.
Cal licked up my neck and I couldn’t bottle the sound of revulsion that leapt from my lips.
“It’s not so bad, is it?” He gripped my chin and wrenched my face to his while he eyed my mouth. I pushed on his chest, ready to scratch and bite if I had to. I couldn’t play along, not with this.
“Cal?” A woman’s warbling voice sounded from behind us.
Cal released me and I was finally able to breathe again. I scooted away from him until my back hit the arm of the love seat.
He adjusted his bow tie and stood, the fake smile already back on his face. “Ms. Devereaux, back so soon?”
Wait, Devereaux? She spoke again. I knew her voice. Something like déjà vu but darker swirled in my stomach. I turned. There, standing at my back were my former stepmother, Marguerite Devereaux and my stepbrother, Dylan.
Chapter Ten
Stella
“Dylan?”
My stepbrother rushed around the love seat and sat next to me before folding me in his arms.