helped to achieve the legislation that made the program legal, but Mitis, I swear I didn’t know about this. It’s demeaning.”
He snorted, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “It’s beyond that. It’s dehumanizing.”
I sat down on the bed, easing the box to my side. “I need to tell you a few things. They aren’t easy for me to speak about, so please bear with me.” Clearing my throat, I watched him nod once at me. “You won’t be my companion for very long.”
His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
A loud knock at my door interrupted our conversation. I stood up from the bed, smoothing the wrinkles from my skirt. “Come in.”
My father entered the room, a satisfied smile on his lips. “I trust you’ve found his welcome home gift.”
“Father, please reconsider. It isn’t necessary.”
He tsked. “It is necessary. I’ve made a significant investment. A wise businessman always protects his investments. I’m sure Mitis can appreciate that. Can’t you, son?”
Mitis wanted to hit him. I watched his fists clench and unclench.
“Place it on his neck, Seven. Now. He’s not to remove it at any time. It’s waterproof, so he can even bathe with it on.”
I swallowed and looked from my father to the collar, squeezing my eyes closed. Suddenly, for the first time in a long time, I felt warmth in front of me. While I wasn’t watching, Mitis had moved in front of me. It startled me slightly when I looked up to see him standing there, bending forward so that I could reach his neck.
“Are you sure?” I whispered so that only he could hear. His eyes met mine. They said yes.
My eyes thanked him, silently.
I released the clasp on the collar and eased it around his throat, fastening it at the back of his neck.
“I’ve spoken with Sonnet about the entire situation. She and your mother have eased my apprehensions about this arrangement. So while we intended to stay here tonight, I’ve changed my mind. Your mother and I will retire to the condo. Zara and the staff are available should you require dinner or assistance, Seven. You need to explain your condition to Mitis so that he can help you as well.”
“I will, Father.” My eyes fell to the floor. The shoes looked ridiculous, encrusted in crystal, another simple and unnecessary way to show our wealth to others.
His footsteps padded toward the door. When it opened and closed behind him, I could breathe again.
I waited until I couldn’t hear anything else and then looked up to find Mitis staring at me. The collar looked awful. I wanted to tear it apart, to rip it from his neck and burn it. But my father would just replace it and probably make sure the next wasn’t removable at all.
Toeing off my heels one at a time, I bent to pick them up when the room began to blur and spin. I reached out for the bed.
“Seven?” Someone said.
Then, everything stopped.
Starve
/stärv/
verb
(of a person or animal) suffer severely or die from hunger. Synonyms: dying of hunger, deprived of food, undernourished, malnourished, starved, half-starved;
SEVEN EASED HER feet out of the shoes she was perched on. I didn’t know how simple chicks walked in those things. The heels were pointed and at least six or seven inches tall. She bent down to pick them up, and I was trying so hard to be a gentleman and not look at her chest in that dress. I blew out a breath and glanced to the ceiling.
When she gasped and swayed into the bed, I reached out for her. Her body slumped and then went completely slack. Her head lolled, and it looked like her neck would break from the angle. I lifted her into my arms and eased her onto the bed, feeling her forehead out of habit. She was freezing, and a cold sheen of sweat covered her skin, but she was breathing.
I ran to the bathroom and grabbed a towel, holding it beneath the faucet, soaking it with the cool, running water before returning to her. Dabbing her
He snorted, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “It’s beyond that. It’s dehumanizing.”
I sat down on the bed, easing the box to my side. “I need to tell you a few things. They aren’t easy for me to speak about, so please bear with me.” Clearing my throat, I watched him nod once at me. “You won’t be my companion for very long.”
His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
A loud knock at my door interrupted our conversation. I stood up from the bed, smoothing the wrinkles from my skirt. “Come in.”
My father entered the room, a satisfied smile on his lips. “I trust you’ve found his welcome home gift.”
“Father, please reconsider. It isn’t necessary.”
He tsked. “It is necessary. I’ve made a significant investment. A wise businessman always protects his investments. I’m sure Mitis can appreciate that. Can’t you, son?”
Mitis wanted to hit him. I watched his fists clench and unclench.
“Place it on his neck, Seven. Now. He’s not to remove it at any time. It’s waterproof, so he can even bathe with it on.”
I swallowed and looked from my father to the collar, squeezing my eyes closed. Suddenly, for the first time in a long time, I felt warmth in front of me. While I wasn’t watching, Mitis had moved in front of me. It startled me slightly when I looked up to see him standing there, bending forward so that I could reach his neck.
“Are you sure?” I whispered so that only he could hear. His eyes met mine. They said yes.
My eyes thanked him, silently.
I released the clasp on the collar and eased it around his throat, fastening it at the back of his neck.
“I’ve spoken with Sonnet about the entire situation. She and your mother have eased my apprehensions about this arrangement. So while we intended to stay here tonight, I’ve changed my mind. Your mother and I will retire to the condo. Zara and the staff are available should you require dinner or assistance, Seven. You need to explain your condition to Mitis so that he can help you as well.”
“I will, Father.” My eyes fell to the floor. The shoes looked ridiculous, encrusted in crystal, another simple and unnecessary way to show our wealth to others.
His footsteps padded toward the door. When it opened and closed behind him, I could breathe again.
I waited until I couldn’t hear anything else and then looked up to find Mitis staring at me. The collar looked awful. I wanted to tear it apart, to rip it from his neck and burn it. But my father would just replace it and probably make sure the next wasn’t removable at all.
Toeing off my heels one at a time, I bent to pick them up when the room began to blur and spin. I reached out for the bed.
“Seven?” Someone said.
Then, everything stopped.
Starve
/stärv/
verb
(of a person or animal) suffer severely or die from hunger. Synonyms: dying of hunger, deprived of food, undernourished, malnourished, starved, half-starved;
SEVEN EASED HER feet out of the shoes she was perched on. I didn’t know how simple chicks walked in those things. The heels were pointed and at least six or seven inches tall. She bent down to pick them up, and I was trying so hard to be a gentleman and not look at her chest in that dress. I blew out a breath and glanced to the ceiling.
When she gasped and swayed into the bed, I reached out for her. Her body slumped and then went completely slack. Her head lolled, and it looked like her neck would break from the angle. I lifted her into my arms and eased her onto the bed, feeling her forehead out of habit. She was freezing, and a cold sheen of sweat covered her skin, but she was breathing.
I ran to the bathroom and grabbed a towel, holding it beneath the faucet, soaking it with the cool, running water before returning to her. Dabbing her
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