Noting that the light under Bianca’s bed was off, St Just shrugged.
It had been a long tiring day, he thought as he yawned and continued up the stairs to his own rooms.
Stretching his long limbs, he slid out of his clothes and went to sleep, dreaming of Bianca.
*
In her room, Bianca was still locked up in the bathroom. She had remained quiet, refusing to respond when St Just had knocked lightly. And being the gentleman he was, despite his kink side, he had left quietly.
She sat for hours on the cool marble tiles, her knees drawn to her chin, staring out through the high window in the bathroom.
Waiting for dawn.
When the pale grey light of dawn began to creep across the sky, Bianca Cruz rose, dragging her aching body and broken heart to the bed, to lie, till she fell into a fitful slumber.
*
Liam O’Grady arrived at his home in the city and proceeded to drink himself into a stupor.
He could not wrap his head around her soft, heartfelt words; the Pet had meant it when she said she loved him…
She’s too young, he told himself, too naive to know better. In a few years, when she’s all grown up and wedded to another man, she’ll laugh at what she said.
And that was how he tried to convince himself that she was not for him. But the vacuum in his heart simply remained.
*
After the third drink, his feelings took a deep downward curve; he became resentful, and angry.
And he wanted to reject her, hurt her, make her hate him…
He threw the bottle across the room in a fit of fury and proceeded to drink straight out of the one that miraculously appeared before him. His Jeeves, he thought, who knew what he wanted.
And drank again, relishing the burning in his chest as the liquid hit his stomach.
Finally, still in his dinner jacket and suit, he fell asleep on the large couch and his man gently took off his shoes as he snored, the sleep of a drunken man.
*
The next morning, Finn St Just looked up as Bianca Cruz joined him for breakfast.
She was freshly bathed and her damp hair clung to her back, reaching till her wait. Dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, she looked so young, like a student preparing to leave for college and he sighed.
She was young, he reminded himself. But, the expression on her face bothered him. She looked so defeated.
And at once, he thought of his brother. What had the b*stard done last night? The light seemed to have been put out in Bianca’s eyes.
*
She reached across to take a piece of toast after a desultory good morning but he grabbed her wrist.
“Is that how you greet a master, Pet?” he probed gently, his senses alert.
The quick expression of pain and anger that flitted across her face was hidden behind a smooth mask. Gracefully, she rose and walked to him, her hips swaying, an inviting smile on her beautiful face. Then, perching herself daringly on his lap, she took his face between her hands and kissed him. It was a thorough, deep kiss, and he felt his senses quicken. He was already at half mast when he had watched her glide into the room. Now, as her hands moved over his chest, her tongue battling with his, he gripped her waist
And groaned into her mouth.
Then he moved just as she raised her head for air. There was a glint in her eyes but he did not like the expression on her face. It was hard, knowing, so unlike what he was used to. Something had changed, he thought at once.
But then, her face softening, she nuzzled against this neck.
“Have your breakfast now, Pet,” he grunted and watched as she slid off his lap smoothly and walked back to her seat. He caught the look on Alfred’s face and noticed how Bianca did not bother to look at the old man.
All these days, he had felt that she was trying to reach out, to be friendly with the housekeeping couple. But now, as she called Alfred and asked for a fresh pot of coffee, ther was a cool, commanding tone of voice she used.
He ate his toast thoughtfully.
The pet was changing.
*
When they were sitting in the living room, St Just pulled out his laptop and began mulling over the numbers. H did not have a head for calculations and generally left that to his trusted assistant, Collins. Old Collins had been with them from the time their father had run his brothel. Now, he handled the accounts for them.
Only, the old man had come down with a nasty virus; some variation of the deadly Covid 19, said the doctor and he had been advised bed rest and had also been absolutely forbidden from working.
So, the old man had sent a few sheets with the latest numbers and St Just sighed as he looked at the rows and columns.
It was all so confusing. He could handle people, hell, he was the one who made folks approach them for loans and walk out, feeling like they’d made the best decisions of their lives.
Sure, he was the best when it came to people skills. But numbers? No sir!
But accounting?
He rubbed his lean hand over his forehead.
And felt Bianca’s curious brown eyes on him.
She watched him for a while. Then, in a sympathetic small voice, she asked,
“What’s wrong?”
He pushed the offending Excel sheets to her and scowled.
“F*cking numbers, simply can’t get them right.”
She chewed her bottom lip for a while. Then she asked softly, tentatively,
“Ummm…maybe…can I help you?”
And then quickly, seeing the incredulous expression on his face, she said hastily,
“I mean, it’s alright…I’m sorry for asking.”
She rose and began to walk past him, her hips swaying in that unconsciously sexy way which made him feel hard.
But St Just was not going to let a lifeline walk away.
he reached out and grabbed her wrist quickly.
“Hey, hey Bianca. I didn’t mean to offend you, baby.”
She looked at him and he saw the glimmer of tears as she quickly blinked them away.
He pulled her to his body and she lowered her face, her hair falling across her cheek, like a curtain.
He reached up and kissed her lips gently.
She shuddered and sighed.
Then, pulling her onto his lap, he indicated the offending numbers.
“Help me out here, Pet. And I’ll give you a treat.”