“Should we see what’s inside?” Bellamy asked as she fingered the black ribbon on the box.
“Go ahead and open it.” I took a deep breath, needing the distraction to regain my control. Bellamy definitely had a way of getting under my skin, but I refused to allow her to see just how much.
She pulled out a tuxedo for me, which I figured as much, and then she stared into an almost empty box. All that remained was a paint brush and a pair of silver high heels.
She held the paintbrush and lifted an eyebrow as she asked, “I’m assuming this is all I get?”
I took my first bite of food and swallowed down the deep laughter that wanted to escape. “Looks that way.” I nodded to her plate. “Eat all your breakfast. I’m not asking. I’m not suggesting. I’m telling.”
I paused, waiting for some sort of snarky response. I was prepared to get up, remove my belt, and teach Bellamy exactly what happened if she disobeyed me, but I’d much rather save it for when my belly wasn’t growling and the coffee had time to kick in. Luckily for me, Bellamy wasn’t in the mood for a battle quite yet. Though I saw her nostrils flare slightly, and I could see she was grinding her perfect white teeth, she remained quiet and dug into her meal.
“Bellamy,” I finally said, cutting into the silence of our eating after several moments. “About tonight. I want you to know I have some expectations for the Trials.”
She looked at me mid-chew but didn’t say anything.
“I want there to be no mistake. There will be a lot of men at the Trials. All eyes will be on you, but there is one rule I will never allow you to break. You are mine. Only mine. You will not touch another, speak with another, or even look at another man unless I give you permission to do so. Mine. Are we clear?”
She nodded as she swallowed the toast, needing to sip from the coffee to help wash it down.
“I also expect perfection. I want our Trial to be better than any of the Initiates before us and even those who follow. I don’t do mediocre. I never have. If the Elders want a show, we will give it to them. If they demand we do anything… we do it. I don’t want them to see sass, to see resistance, or any other kind of disrespect. And with that said, I want you to know that I will always protect you, care for you, and guide you through the entire process. You are mine, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly. I don’t just demand your respect, but you will soon see that I’ll earn it every step of the way. Yet I need you to allow me to lead. I need you to submit and trust. Are we clear in that?”
“Yes,” she squeaked out. “Yes, sir.” She placed her fork down and leaned forward to give emphasis on her next words. “I want to pass these Trials just as much as you do. And like you… I don’t do mediocre. I’ve been groomed my entire life to be perfect. You are about to see just how perfect I can be at what the Order throws our way.”
4
BELLAMY
Apparently, perfection meant walking down the elegant stairwell of the Oleander naked as a jaybird—oh, except for the silver Louboutin heels. I held my head high and my back straight, just like we learned in Cotillion classes all those years ago. Granted, I didn’t think they had a scenario like this in mind back when Mrs. Marshall was instructing us in the squeaky high-pitched voice about “manners” and “breeding” and how they’d “impact our marriageability.”
Sometimes, it felt like Darlington County had been left back in the 20th century… or on a night like tonight as I descended into an exquisite white-marbled den of sin lit by a gas chandelier, like the 19th.
Other naked women walked in as I entered the ballroom. Men in tuxes and silver robes waited for us. My eyes widened slightly when I passed by a group of faces I recognized—Montgomery Kingston and his friends Beau and Rafe. Shit, I was prancing around naked in front of people I knew. When Emmett had fucked me so enthusiastically, at least it had only been in front of the Elders, but tonight… tonight would be in front of everyone.
Beside me, Emmett didn’t so much as hold out an arm to steady me. No, every bit of this was a test, to see if I would stand on my own two feet. He wouldn’t coddle me, not one bit. He thought I was a spoiled brat as it was.
Everyone was almost gathered when Emmett finally leaned over. I thought he might offer some encouragement after all. But I was soon proven wrong when he whispered low and in that commanding voice of his, “Just a reminder, you are mine. You are not allowed to make eye contact with any other man in the room tonight. Only me. You are not allowed to touch any man. Only me. And remember, I expect perfection.”