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anything else. Ask me for a fucking one-hundred-million-dollar yacht for a belated birthday gift. It will be yours. But do not ask this of me.”
    “Fine. Forget the yacht and match me the price of the highest bidder so I can have her. No matter the cost.”
    I slammed my glass on the bar, pinning him with a look that no doubt revealed the evil inside of me. What he was asking nearly killed me—killed him. It fed the jealousy and it took everything I had not to wrap my hands around his neck until he convinced and begged me that he’d changed his mind. “You test my patience, friend.”
    “You test mine every damn day.”
    Heated singed the inside of my chest as he kept my stare. I couldn’t continue to do this. West was right. They were a great match. “Fine. You want her so badly, come auction day, I’ll do what I can to make her yours.”
    West’s eyes closed while he let out a long exhale. “I’m indebted to you. I’m here for whatever you need. And I’ll pay you back. You have my word.”
    “Indebted. Yes, you are.” More than you know.
    A knock had me leaving him without another glance. Things were shifting within me. To feel was hard enough. I knew I loved West, but now, I had a wall up concerning him. He was somehow different in my eyes—fading from the one man I thought myself able trust. It was always ironic how things worked out that way. Anyone could have wanted my slave and I wouldn’t have held a quarter of the anger to them like I now did toward West.
    “Main Master, the bodies are delivered to the holding room awaiting your instruction. Is there anything else you need?”
    I took in Lyle—his short black hair, his slightly crooked nose, amongst handsome features. He had broad shoulders but wasn’t anywhere near my height. He had to have been close to his mid-forties. Choosing him was the wisest thing I could have done. I could trust him, and I would need to as I threw West a glance.
    “I want you and a team of men to head to the far west wing. The part that isn’t used anymore. In the very back, you will come across a door. It leads to an abandoned garage and road. Scour every inch and find me something this murdering intruder may have left behind.”
    “Yes, Master.”
    He bowed his head and turned, taking off at a quick pace. I shut the door, wanting nothing but peace … and silence. I wanted to go over my slave’s kiss again. Watch it replay over and over. What had been in her eyes when she had pulled back and looked at me? Who had she seen when she stared up at me, afterward? Surely not the same man who was standing here now. Definitely not the one that slammed her raped and bruised body on that hospital bed and told her what a mad man he was. No … she wouldn’t have expected the monster or the secrets I divulged in those moments. I was losing it. Slipping, with my pent-up frustrations of not having her for myself.
    “You look tired and it’s getting pretty late. I’m going to take off to my room. Are you okay? You sure there isn’t anything you need?”
    I glanced at West, shaking my head. I couldn’t speak to him right now. There was something going on with him that was throwing red flags. I had learned to trust my intuition long ago and this had nothing to do with the jealousy I felt concerning my slave.
    “See you tomorrow, Bram.”
    I barely heard the door as it shut behind him. I was already heading toward my computer. Toward the one place that had been a window for me to my slave. I hit the buttons, pulling up Medical. She was curled on the bed, crying. The reality of it hit as I turned up the volume to hear the soft cries.
    The nurse was standing at the far side of the room with her back to twenty-four-six-ninety, but I cared nothing about her. Fascination drew me in closer to the monitor while I watched my slave’s tiny body shake. A sense of calm settled through and my shoulders lost their stiffness.
    Happy or not, nothing mattered except for the fact that we were