Master B-0077

I’d barely hung up the phone after calling for a pickup when it rang again. Ashlee was asleep on the sofa, curled into a ball where I’d left her, and Anthem was in the kitchen covered in blood and chugging what was left of the Gin. I was on cloud nine, happier than ever, in for as long as I could remember. And I was sober. That had to mean something. Sure, it wasn’t fucking easy, but I was doing it, and I was doing it for family. My real family. The only ones that mattered.

I looked down at the illuminated screen, my eyes jerking to Ashlee’s small body as I hit the button and brought it to my ear.

“Main Master.”

“I know it’s late, but it’s time. Since this is not part of the Garden’s, you are to go back up the elevator you came down in. Once up top, you will be taken to a room. You’ll have two hours starting right now to do what you want. Time is ticking down.”

“Kyle?”

“Not yet. He’s on his way. He may even arrive by the time you finish.”

“Can you tell me how it went with Ashlee’s mother? Does she plan to put up a fight?”

A pause. “I’m afraid the mother suffered an accident and died the night you signed my contract. The boy has been in the system, guarded by some very trusted friends. All the paperwork has been sorted out and everything is as it should be to legally move forward.”

I forced myself to swallow. “An accident. Of course. So, this meeting is for the rapist and my father, then.”

“That’s right.”

“Can I bring Ashlee? She deserves to see and say any last words.”

“She’s a slave, Master. She deserves nothing. Being as her son will be arriving shortly, I will allow it. If you wish her to have last words, that’s your decision. I don’t care nor want to hear about it. I’m only interested in Kyle. When she arrives in the room with him, the clock will start. One hour. Not a minute more or I subtract it from the next visit. You report to me tomorrow at noon. I will give you the boy’s schedule, his tutors, and what I expect of him. In the meantime, he will be kept at the top, monitored, until you’re ready to leave the Gardens. I have decided it is to be like this every time you visit. You are not to come without him. He stays on top to go through whatever it is he needs while you visit, and when I deem necessary, he will meet with me so that I can gauge his progress. This will be the easy part. Enjoy these younger years, Master. Time will fly faster than you’ll be prepared for. Your court date is in five days. We will talk more about it tomorrow. It was nice doing business with you.”

The line disconnected, and I turned to see Anthem staring at me.

“I have to go. Fuck…Fuck.” I couldn’t process it all as my hand ran down my face. My father. Our father. I’d spent years searching and hiring the most expensive people for someone the Main Master found in a matter of days. Found…like it was nothing. Like my father hadn’t made a career out of being untraceable.

And the accident. I’d killed Ashlee’s mother despite I hadn’t asked for it. I suppose it was easier that way, but I hadn’t thought about the ripple wanting Kyle would cause. Overall, it didn’t matter. I had the kid, and I was ready to step into the role, no matter how much a part I actually played in it. This was what was best for him. He’d never want. Never lack for anything. It came at a cost, but no matter what it was, it was worth it.

“Dude, you good?”

“Yeah. Better than good.” I laughed, half in surprise and half in disbelief. “My boy will be here soon. I have to take care of some shit.”

I shoved the phone in my pocket, leaning down to slide my hand under Ashlee’s face. She’d already seen so much tonight, and it wasn’t going to compare to what she was about to see or do.

“Ashlee.” A soft sound had me smiling when it shouldn’t have. I didn’t even know who the fuck I was becoming anymore. “Hey, slave. Miss Perfect. Wake up.” I tapped against her cheek with my other hand. Bloodshot eyes blinked, meeting mine, and I noticed the edge of the white by her temple was completely red from my choking. I nearly cringed, hating that Kyle would have to see her like that. I’d seen my mother all messed up at times, and the memories stuck worse than glue. Whether he remembered them now or in the future when he became of age, he’d see her like this. “Hey, we have to go. You need to get dressed.”

“Go?” I helped her to sit up. “Is it morning?”

“No. You haven’t been asleep long. I have a surprise for you.”

She smiled, and I eased her to her feet, walking her to the room.

“What sort of surprise?”

As we entered the closet, I spun her to face me, feeling my heart rate jump. As good as this was going to be, it could completely go to shit real fast. Ashlee could lose it. She may hate me. I wasn’t lying when I said she might ask me to kill her. I could see that happening after she found out who I was.

“Do you remember the test I talked about?”

The smile melted as she nodded. “Is this it?”

“It is. Dress in whatever you don’t care to ruin but bring extra clothes. You’re going to need them for my other surprise.”

“There’s two?”

“Technically, three.”

“Three?”

I grabbed a long sleeve black thermal shirt, sliding it over my head to pull down as I ignored the shock. Ashlee wasn’t wasting time getting dressed. She put on jeans and a shirt almost identical to mine. If I ever thought we hadn’t looked like siblings, I couldn’t deny it now. We could have been fucking twins.

She went to grab another pair of jeans when my hand shot up. “Something nice.” My eyes scanned her new clothes, and I grabbed a conservative black dress I’d bought for one of our dinners. It wasn’t the best of colors, but it was going to be her funeral or mine. Fuck, it was going to hurt like a bitch if she rejected this. Me. I expected it. She’d be fucked up not to, but I was holding to hope she held my bad blood because I was really getting used to having her around. To…having a real connection with someone.

“Master.” She stopped, taking the dress and the heels I handed over to her. “Can I please have a hint at what’s going on? Something? Anything? I won’t turn on you. I’m not going to—”

My finger fitted over her lips.

“We don’t have time to go into it right now. Everything will come together soon enough.” I led her out as Anthem opened the door to the guards. I stepped over the smears of blood, dodging the slave’s body and puddles, stopping to turn back to Anthem. “Don’t leave until you either have this cleaned, or you scrub it down yourself.”

“Yes, Daddy.” He smiled, winking, despite I had conflicted emotions over the title. I sure wasn’t a father; I was an uncle, but I’d do a damn better job than my own dad did. “It’ll be clean before you get back. Have fun.”

“You have no idea.”

My arm went around Ashlee, and I pulled her in close as I led her out of the apartment. Our ride down the elevator was silent. When we exited the building and headed for the gate, she jerked to a stop.

“What are you doing? We have to go.”

Her head shook. “I’m not allowed to go past the gate.”

“This time you can. The Main Master knows.”

Uncertainty was clear as she looked between me and the large golden arched doors giving entrance to the Gardens. “Is this my test? To choose you or death?”

“What? No. This is not your test. Come on, we don’t have time.”

“She can’t go out there.”

I paused, looking towards the main doors to the apartments. Lilian stood there with two male slaves, her arms crossed over her chest as she swayed. From the slur of her words, she was obviously drunk.

“Mistress Forty-two.” My voice deepened at the anger. “Did you follow us out here?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We were headed to the city to keep partying. What do you think you’re doing out here at this hour? Trying to sneak out? She can’t leave the Gardens. The girl is a worthless slave.”

“Careful.”

“Or you’ll what? Tell on me? Maybe I’ll tell on you first.”

“Grow up. Not that it’s any of your business, but we’re not leaving. We have an appointment courtesy of the Main Master. Go ahead and call him if you want, but I wouldn’t advise getting on his bad side. Or do. I don’t care. Stay the fuck away from me. Here. Out there. God, it’s like I can’t get rid of you.” My eyes cut down. “Ashlee.”

I grabbed her bicep, feeling the resistance as I pulled her forward. She was fighting, but not overly as she clutched tighter to the dress and shoes she carried. Lilian stomped off and I was glad as Ashlee’s voice pulled my attention back to her.

“You’re sure I can go? He really knows?”

“Yes. Slave.” My glare was hard as I stared down. First Lilian, now this. We didn’t have time. We were steps from the opening, and she was starting to dig her feet in. “Look at me. This is not your test. Your test lies at the top of that elevator. We have guests. You’re about to learn something this stupid gate doesn’t even compare to. Death is easy. Live with the truth like me. Battle what the fuck that means, and then question whether life is worth living. I happen to think it is.” I pulled her in, pressing my lips to hers knowing it could damn well be the last time she’d kiss me back willingly. “Stop thinking about what’s going to happen in the form of a test. That’s what it is, but this is our life too, and I’ve done everything in my power to make it better.” I pulled her in impossibly close. “You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, but we have an undeniable connection, yes?”

Slowly, she nodded.

“I want that connection to continue. To stay like this but get stronger. Only you have the power to make this work. I’ve put the puzzle together. It’s about to be whole. It’s about to provide you with something you’d never have otherwise, but the only way to keep it from falling apart is to accept every piece of it. The good. The bad. Even the wrong.”

There was no fight as I drug her to the elevator and hit the button, only confusion as she continued to stare at me, lost. Her mind was going nonstop as she never broke her eyes from me. Whatever it was she was trying to make sense of, I didn’t know. I wasn’t even going to waste my time figuring it out when she’d see soon enough firsthand.

“Master Seventy-seven? Slave one-fourteen?”

I nodded at the armed guard who called out our numbers. The way they were looking at us, I knew the Main Master had prepared them for our arrival. The other looked at Ashlee, bringing up a handheld scanner, leveling it with her eyes. She jumped as he pressed the button, but nothing happened that I could see, and she didn’t react differently as the guard nodded to the other and allowed us in.

“Master…Can’t we just go back to the apartment? I don’t want things to get bad. Do I have to do this?”

My lips twisted, and I pulled her in, wrapping my arms around her as we headed up.

“It’s inevitable. We can’t escape it. Not either one of us. Besides, although you may not like the first surprise, the second will make up for it.” I held on tighter, resting my chin on the top of her head as we continued up, towards the surface. When the doors opened, gray cement walls of the military installation appeared. Ashlee’s arms broke from my waist, but she stood up taller, holding to one of my arms as two more guards approached.

“Right this way.”

We didn’t have to walk far. An electronic door opened, and we passed two doors before a third to the left gave us entry. I didn’t even have to walk in to have my heart in my throat. The far back wall was glass and through it I could see two men walking around in a room. There were four guards along the back wall, their large guns held steady against their chest.

“Master.”

I hadn’t realized Ashlee was pulling against my arm. It was the panic in her voice that tore my eyes away from our father, who happened to be looking right at me. He shared mine and Ashlee’s blonde hair, but his was whiter, like mine. His wrinkles were deeply set at the corners of his eyes and even though I could see the resemblance, I hadn’t expected him to look so old. Maybe it’s because the last photo I uncovered from one of his aliases was from a good ten years ago.

“It’s okay. Let’s go in.”

“I can’t. I.”

“Don’t you dare let either of these pieces of shit see your fear. Show them your hate. Show them your anger. Do not let them see weakness. They don’t deserve that so close to death.” I turned her, holding tight to her biceps as I stared hard into her eyes. “Today our past dies. Starting today, it’s just me and you. Come on. Chin up. Show that motherfucker he didn’t break you. He gave you a gift, but one that cost him his life. He put his poison in you only to find out too late that you were the lethal one. You hold the power now, Miss Perfect. Use it.”

“We can kill him?”

Her lips stayed parted as her eyes left mine to look towards the glass.

“Oh, fuck yes. He’s already dead. He just doesn’t know it yet.”

Her hands shakily gripped to my shoulders, and she moved in hard, pulling me in to throw her arms tightly around me.

“You did this for me?”

“I did.”

Ashlee’s lips crashed into mine, and she seemed to catch herself at the boldness, pulling to look back towards the staring men. They weren’t walking anymore. Seth was confused, but glaring, and Jake, our father, held an expression I couldn’t begin figuring out. Did he recognize us? Did he even have any idea who we were?

“Who’s the other man? He’s…”

I laughed, not at all happy as I led her forward so she could set down her clothes and shoes on a table against the far wall. Not far from it was a rack full of tools. She was too preoccupied to notice, but I didn’t miss them or the shackles mounted to the back wall. “He goes through more names than you can imagine, but his real name is Jake Stephens.”

Her head whipped to me. “Stephens. Your dad.”

It wasn’t a question.

“You could say that, although I wouldn’t say he was ever there to claim that title.” I glanced at her as her face drew in, studying him. “I think. He looks…He.”

“You feel it, then?”

She turned to me. “Feel it?”

“Who he is. Look at him, Ashlee. What do you see in his face?”

Fingers trailed down mine as she let go and stepped forward. She didn’t stop until she was inches from the glass. The man shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest angrily as he turned his back to us.

“I…Master?” Ashlee turned to me. “Do I know him? I think I…might. Yes. It’s right…there.” I didn’t even get to answer before her hand shot up and her eyes flared. There was something. It was in the fluttering of her lashes over those round, angry eyes. In the way I saw the slave in her drop, and true rage seep into her beautiful features. Honey brown darkened as her gaze met mine, only to return back to the window. She reared back, slamming the side of her fist into the glass. Seth stepped back, and whether it was the noise or the energy that had our father turning back to face her, I wasn’t sure. I moved closer, not able to break my fascination as I watched her personality change completely. The woman I saw, I didn’t know. Not even close.

“You.” She pounded back on the divider as he met her eyes. “I knew you looked familiar. You used to come to my mom. I know you. I was young, but I remember. You…You…” Her head shook as a sound left her, and her eyes cut back to mine. “He hit my mom once. I saw him. I…remember.” Like a predator, she went back, stalking the glass. Back and forth she paced. “I saw you. I saw what you did. I know you. Who…you are. I…heard her talking. She said. She called you...”

“Ashlee.” I grabbed around her waist, bringing her back to focus on me. “Breathe. You can take your anger out on both of them soon enough. You know who he is?”

She swallowed hard, her tear-filled eyes scanning mine looking for answers. For confirmation.

“Then you know who I am. Ashlee, you have to say it.”

Her head shook, the anger still tightening her beautiful features as her hand clamped over my mouth. I could have easily slapped it away, but I wanted her to process. To deal and face what we both now knew.

“It’s not.” She growled, a sob tearing through as her other hand gripped to the back of my neck pulling me towards her so our foreheads could touch. “It’s not true. You didn’t know. We…didn’t.” Another angry groan mixed with a cry as she broke the touch and moved back to stare into my eyes. “You did know. From day one. You knew. And you. We. The secret. My name.” One fist slammed into my shoulder. Then, she hit again, squeezing my shirt to hold on so she didn’t continue. So many emotions changed her face. She kept searching my depths. I didn’t offer her a sympathetic glance. I wasn’t apologizing for shit, and I wanted her to see that. A good few minutes went by before a deep exhale left her. When she sobbed, she immediately turned, wiping her wet face against the shoulder of her shirt.

“Ashlee.”

“The puzzle. I see it now.” She sniffled, clearing her throat as her thoughts had her looking down. “It’s so clear. It’s the only thing that makes sense. You saved me. That’s why you bought me. You didn’t want me, but you saved me from possibly dying and we…connected. There was something there.”

“Say what I am. Who I am.”

The directness of her eyes, the power behind them, didn’t waver or retreat as she stood taller.

“You’re my Master. My…brother…but my Master. It changes nothing.”

I towered over her, flattening my hand at her lower back to jerk her to me. “Nothing? It changes everything.”

“To who? To you? Did you prefer I not know? Does it not hold the appeal now that I do?” Her anger ignited my own, mixing with lust as she grabbed my shirt. “I don’t know you. We weren’t raised together as brother and sister. You’re my Master. If we share blood, I can’t see it. I may feel it, but I happen to like the connection we have. This means nothing. If anything, it brings us closer together.”

“You think so?”

“How can it not? I know you as my Master, but you’re my brother. Brothers protect. They take care of what’s theirs. They help. You’ve done that.” She stopped, only to continue. “Sisters do the same for brothers. I’ll take care of you, Master, better than any slave you could buy. I’m part of you. No…I’m more than that.” Something changed in her stare as it lowered to my lips. “We share something different. Special. I don’t think I want to lose that. I like what we have, and so do you. Why fight this? We don’t want to, and I won’t. Our puzzle is complete.” She leaned forward, easing her body into mine. “I accept every piece. The good, the bad…even the wrong.”