“I agree, sir.”
I decided to give him a reprieve and change the subject. “How many patients are there today?”
Looking relieved at the turn of subject, he visibly relaxed. “You’re booked until lunch, then your afternoon is clear.”
“Any new patients?”
He shook his head, listing the familiar names.
While he spoke, I pulled up my calendar on the computer. At the bottom corner of the screen, a message icon taunted me. Thirty missed messages in just one day. Scowling, I clicked the button that deleted them, without bothering to open them. I wasn’t interested in another purchase so soon and didn’t appreciate the aggressive sales tactics. I would buy another toy soon enough. Right now, I was focused on Gabe.
And Gabe was focused on me.
Our eyes met, and he sat there, perched on the edge of the sofa, still looking uncomfortable. The image of him leaning against my desk flashed through my memory. With my hand on his leg and his body so close I could feel the heat radiating from him, it had been hard to pull myself away. Had I pulled back too far? Did he think I was bored with him?
Maybe his feelings are hurt.
The thought surprised me. Feelings weren’t something I concerned myself with, unless I was using them to get what I wanted. But Gabe was different, something I’d known since I first laid eyes on him.
I stood, going around the front of the desk and sitting beside him on the sofa. Turning to face him, I took his hand and lifted it to my lips, holding eye contact when I did.
His lips parted, his nostrils flared, and his chocolate-brown eyes filled with fire. He trembled beneath my touch, the rest of his body rendered motionless by his need.
I lingered, his skin smooth and warm on my face. When I lowered his hand to rest on my thigh, I didn’t let go. “There are many things I will tolerate, but dishonesty is not one of them.”
The fear that passed through his eyes quickened my heart rate. Young men in their twenties were often arrogant, their egos far too big for what they had to offer the world.
Not Gabe.
He knew his place, and he was eager to please. Knowing that the world he’d become accustomed to could vanish in an instant, there was no request I could make that he wouldn’t fulfill in the blink of an eye. In a word, he was perfect. Pliant, humble, and desperate to find a place in the world where he belonged. His desperate need for approval worked to my advantage.
“I don’t think I understand, s-sir.”
“I’m sure you don’t. I know you’re keeping something from me, Gabe. There’s no reason to hide who you are, and I want you to know that I have big plans for you.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “You do?”
I nodded. “It’s going to take some hard work on your part, but if you’re willing to push yourself and be upfront with me, I’ll give you a life beyond your wildest dreams.”
“What are you saying?” His laugh was soft and nervous, his eyes meeting mine for the first time since I took his hand.
I pulled away and stood, unsure of how to answer the question. Could I trust him? And more importantly, what would I do with him if he failed?
I’d brought lost souls into my most sacred space before, but Gabe was special. I knew that he would serve me without reservation, until his last breath. Unlike Ernest. After fifteen years under my wing, Ernest was distancing himself. The young, eager student now fancied himself a teacher. It wouldn’t be long before I had to let him go, and that came with its own challenges.
Gabe’s brown eyes watched me still, waiting for an answer he wasn’t going to get.
Gesturing in the general direction of the clock, I gave him an apologetic smile and pointed to the door. “We’ll talk about this later, Gabe.”
He stood slowly, eyes going to the door and back to me, his feet planted on the floor. He opened his mouth, ready to press the issue, but thought better of it. Pursing his lips, he nodded. “Thank you,” he said softly and was out the door, closing it quietly behind him.
I listened to his steps fade in the hallway as I went to my desk and leaned back in the large, well-padded chair. My thoughts turned back to Ernest, who had been on my mind a lot recently. Ungrateful and arrogant, he was intent on pursuing his own interests, leaving me to deal with his mess on my own, more often than not. It was time I took out the trash, and Ernest would soon find himself swept up in the garbage.
The only issue was the girl. The anniversary of her escape was coming up quickly, and I’d been waiting for my revenge for thirteen long years. Ernest had waited, too, but I had the feeling that once this chapter was closed, Ernest wasn’t planning to stick around. I couldn’t risk him exposing me. No. I would have to deal with them both. It was the only way.
Maybe I’ll have Gabe take care of Ernest.
The thought brought a genuine smile to my lips. Having my new assistant dispose of my old one was exactly what I needed to clear out the foul energy Ernest would leave behind in his wake. Gabe was loyal and trainable, and he would do anything I asked of him without hesitation. Fate had brought Gabe to me when I needed him most, and now it was time to bring Gabe into the fold. He was ready, and so was I.
The gloom lifted, and I suddenly felt energized. A plan was forming, a perfect plan.
Gabe would play his part.
Ernest would play his.
When everything was said and done, that red-haired bitch would be rotting in the darkness where she belonged.
When I was
