Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 127933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
I didn’t need to be near her to know where she was, or what she was doing. Ambrose or Verity would tell me if something required my personal attention, but for now, I was content to observe from a distance. My obsession was unrelenting, and I had no desire to temper it. Why would I? She was mine to consume, mine to shape, and I relished every moment of it. I leaned back in my chair, my eyes scanning the ledger. Everything was in place.
I settled back in my chair, my mind still swirling with thoughts of Lolita, the ritual, and everything that was to come.
Just as I was about to lean into the silence and let myself enjoy the weight of the night; my phone buzzed on the desk. Glancing at the screen, I saw my brother's name. With a smirk, I answered. “Emilio.”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d be done yet,” came his voice, low and relaxed.
I chuckled softly, my gaze flicking to the security feed showing Lolita still asleep, her body curled beneath the sheets, peaceful, for now. “She’s sleeping.”
“I don’t blame her,” he mused.
“And Esther?” I asked, leaning forward, genuinely curious about his response.
There was a brief pause before he sighed, “She’s fine. Giving me the silent treatment.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. My brother and our sister had been dancing around the inevitable for some time now. It was a slow game, but one both my father and I had chosen to let progress naturally.
The outcome was clear—Esther and Emilio were meant to end up together. That was why neither of them had been paired with anyone else. The arrangement was always there, waiting in the background, though neither had formally acknowledged it yet.
“You two will sort it out eventually,” I said, my amusement evident.
Emilio grunted in response but didn’t push the topic further.
Instead, he dropped the real reason for his call. “Dad says tomorrow is the night.”
I paused, processing his words, and for a brief moment, felt a wave of excitement and relief wash over me. Finally. Tomorrow, Lolita would meet the rest of the family. I’d been preparing her, grooming her for this moment for weeks. She was ready—or as ready as she could be.
“Same time as usual for dinner?” I asked my tone calm, though, beneath it, anticipation was stirring.
“Yeah, the usual time,” Emilio confirmed, sounding just as steady. We both knew the gravity of tomorrow’s dinner, though neither of us showed it outright.
“I’ll be there,” I replied, already mentally preparing for what was to come.
We chatted a bit more, talking through logistics and final details for tomorrow.
The conversation was easy, and routine, until Emilio brought up something that caught my attention.
“Oh, and you were right,” Emilio said, the tone of his voice shifting slightly. “Bishop’s got his eye on that girl you took in. Arielle, I think her name is?”
“That’s her.”
Bishop’s interest in Arielle wasn’t surprising.
I had already called it, but it wasn’t my concern either. She wasn’t Lolita. Still, it was amusing to watch the way certain things unfolded around the estate.
“She’s doing fine,” Emilio added. “Bishop’s being patient, for now.”
Now it was me who grunted in response, letting the matter drop. Bishop had his own ways, just as I had mine. We wrapped up the conversation, sharing a few final thoughts on tomorrow’s plans.
I could feel Emilio’s steady resolve, mirroring my own. We both knew what was at stake—Lolita’s introduction to the family was more than just formality. It was a step deeper into the life she was now bound to.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said as we prepared to hang up.
“Tomorrow,” Emilio confirmed before the line went dead.
I placed the phone down on my desk, my thoughts returning to Lolita.
Tomorrow will be a turning point. She would meet the family, and from there, there would be no more half-measures. She was already mine, body, and soul, but soon, she would be theirs as well. Leaning back in my chair, I allowed myself a brief moment to savor it. The Isle had been chosen well. Lolita was absolutely perfect, and soon enough, she would understand just how deep her transformation would go.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I woke with a dull ache at the back of my head and an overwhelming soreness that spread through my entire body. Every muscle felt tender, bruised, like I’d been through a marathon I didn’t remember fully running. As I blinked against the soft light filtering into the room, fragments of the night before slowly began to drift back to me. Alexander—he’d come to bed at some point, his body moving inside me even as I slept. The memory was hazy, a fever dream of heat and need, of his hands gripping my hips, pulling me to him.
I vaguely remembered the weight of him after, the way he’d held me close as he fell asleep.