stop, wouldn’t back down. He was loaded. He could get out of anythi ng the police threw at him. I just knew he would try to kill me.
So I bit back that yes and said, “But what about my duties as housekeeper? I couldn’t possibly handle the office and the housecleaning.”
Damian laughed. “We’ll hire a housekeeper, Belle.”
“Can I think about it a while before making such a big decision?”
I thought it was a reasonable request, but Dorian looked hurt, the first time I’d seen such an expression on his usually stoic face.
I scrambled for an excuse. “I mean…Ms. Veronica sort of offered me a chance at modeling,” I told him, which was not entirely a lie. But although I was flattered that she considered me pretty enough, I really had no desire to walk a runway or endure all the crap that models had to put up with. What I wanted was to stay with Dorian and Damian and be their business partner, their courtesan. There was a good, stable future in that. And besides, I loved them, and I think they loved me.
The brothers exchanged one of their secret looks. They looked less than happy.
“Of course.” Dorian took my hand and kissed my knuckles in that Old World way he had. “Take all the time you need, my dear.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Meanwhile…” He withdrew a diamond-studded collar from the inside of his suit coat and belted it tight around my neck, then attached a thin leash to the O-ring in it. He fisted the leash, drew me close, teased his tongue over my lips. “Let’s go home. You’re ours tonight, Belle, and we want to show you heaven.”
***
My cell went off at two o’clock in the morning. I know because when it started doing its little vibrating dance on my bedside table, I peeked an eye open and saw the digital clock. My heart immediately started fluttering in my chest. After all, you only get bad news at two in the A.M. I immediately thought of my grandma. We’d spoken last night before I’d gone to bed, and she’d been in good spirits, not even overly anxious about her upcoming surgery, which I’d been able to fund.
I snatched it up and looked at the unfamiliar number. That slowed my heart somewhat. I hit TALK and said in a groggy tone, “’ello?”
“Iz?”
I recognized the husky voice immediately. “Myles, what’s up?” I said, pulling myself up to a sitting position on the bed.
“Iz…are you there?”
“I’m here, Myles, what’s wrong?”
“You didn’t come to tonight’s meetings.”
“I know,” I said. “Some stuff came up.” I’d planned to quit fo rmally, but just hadn’t found the courage to say goodbye to the bunch of people I considered close friends.
“I came, but you weren’t there,” Myles said. “It wasn’t the same, so I left early and went back to my car. Now I’m just sitting here, and I can’t move, and I’m shaking. How ridiculous is that?”
“Myles, calm down, I said. “Just calm down.”
“I keep thinking about that sonofabitch, what he did, and I just can’t stop crying, Iz…”
“You’re only having a panic attack. It’s nothing to be afraid of. He’s nothing to be afraid of anymore,” I told him, hoping to talk him down from his meltdown. “Take a few deep bre aths and try to relax…”
“I’m trying, Iz, I’m really trying…”
“ I want you to go back inside and talk to Christa…”
“Christa’s gone. They’re all gone, Iz, and I can’t stop crying and shaking.”
I sighed. “Don’t drive, all right, hon? Just don’t drive. I’ll come get you.”
“Oh, god, Iz…oh, god…”
“Stay right there, Myles. I’m coming to get you.”
The first thing I did was call Stefan, hoping he’d drive out with me to the other side of the campus to pick up Myles, but after seven rings, it went to his voicemail, and I realized Stef had probably turned off his phone, maybe because he was with his boyfriend. I thought about going to the west wing where his dorm was and pounding on his door, but that