“No need to be embarrassed, little monster. It’s perfectly natural.” I release her abruptly, and she stumbles sideways, posture twisting as she tries to muster some dignity without actually reaching under her dress to pull the string out of her pussy. “And I like listening to you come. I like it very much.”

“You’re such a jerk!” She spins to walk away, but I grab her arm again. I need to address something.

“Paolo said he saw you near one of the outbuildings on the property. You’re fine to wander, but I don’t want you going into those buildings.”

“Why? What are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding anything. It’s not safe. You keep out, Mercedes. Do you understand?”

“Fine. Let me go.”

“One more thing.”

“What?”

“You and I will be attending a party at IVI on Saturday night.”

“What party?”

“A dinner.”

“Why?”

“You need to show your face. People are talking.”

She raises her eyebrows. “Aren’t you afraid they’ll talk about you when they see me on your arm?”

I don’t answer that. “I’ll send a dress up for you.”

“Fine. Whatever.” She walks toward the exit but stops and turns back. “Did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That she’s pregnant?”

After a long moment, I nod.

She snorts, then curls her lip in disgust and stalks off. I hear her slam her bedroom door, and I don’t see her for the rest of the day. Which is a good thing because I can’t seem to be around her without touching her. And she’s right about what I want. What I imagine at night. And it needs to stop because no matter what, I cannot have her. Not the way I want. Not ever.

23

Judge

Paolo has been working for my family for a long time. I know exactly the outbuilding he spoke of and why he mentioned it. And I know Mercedes well enough to know if she’s told she can’t do something, she will do just that. It’s her nature, and I need to protect her from herself.

I walk through the woods to the building. I want to be sure myself that she can’t get in there. How did she even find it? It’s a hike from the house.

The property contains several stone structures. The cellar I’d put Ivy in is one. They were primarily used for storage in the past, but my grandfather had converted this particular one for his personal use. I’d been there a time or two while growing up. We all have, my mother included. It’s not a place you ever wanted to be summoned to.

My father was a kind man. The only offspring of Carlisle Montgomery after too many miscarriages to count. But he was a disappointment to my grandfather. Too weak. Too little like him.