24

BRICE

My heart is still racing. The blood roaring through my ears begins to slow down when I find myself in Soleil's room. I'm fueled with adrenaline from the fight but the red haze I was in has cleared.

I don't usually fly into a rage unless provoked. Jacques disrespected me and thought he could call my girl out of her name.

If I'm a dog and she's a bitch then I guess we make the perfect pair.

Our coming together may have been unconventional but she's mine now. Any insult to her is an insult to me.

The rustling behind the bathroom door pulls me out of my reverie. A fragrant cinnamon fills the room and I note a candle she's left burning in the corner. It's calming effect turns my bad mood down a notch.

"What the hell? WHY?!" Soleil hisses when she emerges from the other side looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

That is not the reception I was expecting. I don't know what I was expecting but it isn't the irritable scowl written all over her face. Can't she look happy to see me for once?

For someone who supposedly likes me she has a funny way of showing it. If she's feigning hard to get, she has another thing coming because I'm in no mood for games.

"Don't play dumb. You blocked me," I call her out.

If it was any other person, I wouldn't even have cared enough to notice. But, fate brought us together. The same force that drove her to that wish is the same force that draws me to her. A force stronger than anything I've felt before.

I want to tell her, explain my thoughts, but I've never been good at words when my actions speak louder. I prefer confrontatons over conversations.

However, she makes me reconsider. She has me acting out of character. Even now, when I'm set to put her in place, I'm distracted. I rake over her smooth, brown skin that pops against the peach pajamas.

"I had to. For my mental health," she counters. "How are you able to get in here anyway?"

"Consider it a gift bequeathed at birth. That's not why I'm here though. We had a deal."

I can't be vulnerable wth her when she's clearly hostile. It didn't matter anyway. The power lay in my court. She owed me her life and she needed to say her vows. Irrespective of how I felt, I had to use my big head and set some boundaries. As long as I held reign, they all bowed to me. She would be no different.

"Well, about that deal..." Her gaffaw lets me know I won't like what's coming. I just don't expect her to say, "I'm calling it off."

"Excuse me?!"

What does she mean she's calling it off? I'm paying her good money for her time. Technically, I shouldn't even have to pay a dime since she's in my service.

I would have been open to a change in our relationship - from one of to tutor to maybe a... companion. Yes, that's it. I enjoyed her company and I'm sure we could be beneficial to each other in many ways.

"I quit. Now, you may be excused," she dismisses.

As she walks around me, I have to ball my hands into fists to stop myself from grabbing her.

"Come again?"

"What? Didn't you hear me the first time? I'm calling it quits. We're done."

That's all I hear. Her lips are moving, but I'm not registering any sound.

We're done? How when we haven't even begun?

This girl even has the nerve to give me the peace sign before pulling the corner of her duvet. She's getting ready for bed and I'm about to lose my head. My heartbeat escalates to the point I feel it throbbing against my temples.

"I'm not one to break a contract Soleil."

"What are you going to do about it? Sue me?"

She wants to try me.

It looks like today is the day people have decided to test my patience. I'm not one to put my hands on a woman but I have other means of persuasion. I approach her with a determined stride, thinking back to where we first met - where this chain of events began, and port us into the Indian ocean just off Umhlanga's coast.

*

The waters are my home and bring me a sense of serenity I haven't felt in a while. For a moment, I'm at peace. That is until Soleil breaks the surface gasping out of breath.

Thinking back to her snarky remark, reignites my ire which is why I'm not inclined when she calls out to me for help.

"No. I already saved your life once."

"Brice, now is not the time."

If not now, when? I had let this go on for long enough.

"A life for a life. If you're not going to honour the Law then neither should I."

"What are you talking about? Can we please talk about this back at school?"

No.

I was done humouring her.

She thought she controlled our relationship and I planned on setting the record straight. She would either leave with me under my authority or I could leave her out here where I initially found her.

"You owe me your life. You owe me your loyalty. And if you're not going to give me your vows then I may as well offer you back. Consider it a sacrifice."

"Are you serious right now?"

Does she think this is a game? That I'm out here in the middle of the night for shits and giggles?

I can see her struggling in her clothes to stay afloat. Despite my annoyance she's a charming combination of pretty and pitiful. I imagine fatigue setting in with the waves lapping against her small body. Eventually she flips over and floats on her back tired of fighting the current.

I dive into the deep and swim a wide perimeter around Soleil. The light of the moon illuminates her body floating above me. I don't see anything dangerous or sense bigger creatures around us but that doesn't stop the worry from gnawing at me. I let out a warning echo. She's still human, a young woman, and by nature fragile.

I focus on the water around me and the spherical shape I want it to form. I sink into a meditative state of mind, tuning all my senses in line with my will. Once the barrier is created, I swim up to Soleil and wrap my arms around her, drawing her into the small safety bubble I've created.

Her brown eyes look at mine and then at her surroundings, widening in amazement. Half the sphere is submerged in water while the other half forms a dome above us. I can see the questions racing around in her mind.

"I know you have questions. At this point they are irrelevant until you answer mine. Will you give me your vows now or are you willing to take the risk of swimming back to shore?"

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm giving you an ultimatum. Who would you rather have Lord over you? Me or the sea?"

She looks around for a moment, giving it some thought before her eyes land back on mine.

"Is this a trick question?"

I can sense she's stalling. I stare back waiting for my answer.

"This is preposterous. You and me in here!" She takes a deep calming breath. "What do you want from me? And what kind of vows are you referring to? The only ones I know of are those given by lovers and priests, and those are some pretty heavy words."

"Then you understand perfectly. You're binding yourself to me. I can't force your affection but you will respect me and if not, you will learn to fear me. And to answer your initial question, I want your service and loyalty."

"So what? Am I going to be your slave?"

She's a queer mixture of disbelief and indignation.

"Technically, since you owe me a debt, yes. You're a bondwoman. We're all a slave to someone or something - from addicts, to governments and homeowners. What exactly do you think the bonds people pay are?"

She stares at me as if I've grown two heads. Well she is seeing another side of me. This is just the tip of the iceberg. She'll soon get to know me - all of me.

"If it helps you feel better your social status isn't befitting of a slave. They're below peasants. How about a peon?"

"You've got to be kidding me. Is this some cruel twist of fate?" she asks no one in particular.

"Well, we have a lifetime to find out if you choose me. Right now, you have a decision to make. I've left this loophole open for too long which will bring both of us what you may call bad luck. I can't take that risk."

"Do I really have a choice?"

"You may not like the options but there's always a choice in life. I could let you out if you wish and you can have a talk with le mers if you're still undecided?" The sea.

Her eyes narrow and a smile tugs at the corner of my lips. The pun wasn't intended.

"We don't have all night," I goad further.

Stretching out my hands, I focus my energy into lifting the bubble out of the ocean. I allow the water to drain out from around us until only our feet are submerged. The pressure I've created allows us to stand as if on solid ground.

"Need I point out, I'm a wealthy man with power beyond your imagination. This should be an easy choice."

"Okay. Okay. I've decided," she says resigned."Let me out."

My mouth gapes in shock.

The smirk lingering on her face forces my mouth shut in anger.

She'd rather die out here than live with me?! Am I that disagreeable to her?

"Relax Lord Rich and Powerful Le Roux. I have things planned for my life. I can't take the risk of whatever's waiting for me in there. Better the devil you know and all that," she shrugs her shoulders with a lop-sided smile.

I'm glad she can find the humour in this but I'm not impressed.

"You've exhausted my patience. I think I'll go - "

*

SOLEIL

"Wait wait wait!" I rush out, taking Brice's hands and holding on for dear life.

A ball of anxiety settles heavy in my stomach when I look at my surroundings. I couldn't swim the Midmar mile so how the hell would I fare in the frikkin ocean. How far out were we even? I couldn't make out the beach or any lights from the shore.

"I Soleil Spellman take you Brice Le Roux as my lord in service and loyalty."

I chance a look up, hoping that was enough.

"Till death do us part," he says.

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Sure this felt oddly like a ceremony but damn. Till death?

These sounded like some twisted wedding vows.

"Till death?" I asked seeking clarity.

"As long as you live, Soleil."

I wanted to argue, to ask about his end of this exchange, but I held back. His eyes glowed a luminous grey. It was inhuman. I don't know what I'd gotten myself into but I found myself nodding my head in acceptance.

"Words," he ground out.

"As long as I live."

Finally appeased, he lifted me into his arms and held me close. I wrapped my arms and legs around him holding on for dear life. The world around us glimmered out of focus and I shut my eyes. I didn't know what lay ahead of me but I knew Brice was unpredictable.

*

"I need to rinse off and change," his smooth voice sounds against the shell of my ear.

I wasn't ready to open my eyes.

"You're welcome to join me."

I slowly let go as soon as his words registered. My mind and body at war. He looked calm. His eyes were back to their regular, seductive shade.

Once he placed me on the floor he began to strip. I averted my eyes after staring at his naked torso, abs rippling with every motion as he took off his shirt. It should be unlawful to be both attractive and unhinged.

But who was I going to vent my grievances to? This was beyond the strange and unusual. However, in the last 10 minutes, I'd made peace with the fact that magic existed. What I once considered a fantasy was now my reality. I was tied to Brice for life and in way over my head.

Wet and cold, I reached out for the plush, grey bath sheets folded neatly beneath the vanity. Taking one, I quickly made my way out when I heard the jingle of his belt.

We were back at the manor.

His bathroom was unsettling. The flashbacks of him choking me out in the shower flitted across my mind as if taunting my situation. Usually in nature, the most attractive flora and fauna were also the most dangerous. I should have seen this one coming.

Stripping in solitude, I dry off and wrap the towel around my shoulders to keep warm. I just want to crawl into bed and sleep but don't want to get too comfortable here. I'll be patient and wait for him to take me back.

Looking around me, I wonder from a new perspective what kind of club this place is. If the others were like him? What is he anyway?

As if my thoughts summon him, Brice emerges shortly after with a grey towel similar to mine hanging low on his hips. A smaller one is in hand as he runs it through his hair. He regards me with a look then disappears behind a door.

After a few minutes I hear him calling my name and wonder if my duties of "service" have began. I bite my tongue because I'm afraid to test him. If zero to a hundred were a person, I believe I'm looking at him.

Damn. I have to give it to him. Brice looks impeccable in a crisp white shirt, white waistcoat, black slacks, and the red jacket that hangs open on his strong frame.

He's the epitome of handsome, rich, and powerful. The backdrop gives him an air of old-world elegance.

Jesus, are you there? And Lord, how is this fair?

"Black or white?" he asks pulling me out of my daze.

I've been primed and that is why I choose white. I'm sceptical but hope for the best.

He cocks his head to the side and gives me this look. I wonder what's going through his head. Then I wonder if I actually want to know.

Nope. No, I don't.

After a beat, he hands me a white t-shirt and I let out a soft sigh of relief.

I slip it on over my towel before I let the damp cloth drop. The shirt falls to mid-thigh. He still regards me with the look. Confused and not trying to upset him, I say thank you.

"You need not be shy in front of me."

No, being shy would not serve me if I was going to serve him. I needed to be shrewd and vigilant.

"Well, that's how I get dressed in the locker room after swim practice."

"Hmm. I'll drop it - for now. We're late for dinner," he says walking past me and out the closet.

"Dinner? I already ate a couple of hours ago in the dining hall."

"I know you like to eat. I promise this will be a better dining experience than what the school offers."

What does he mean by I like to eat?

Does he think I'm fat?

I pull the hem of the shirt down feeling self-conscious.

"I'm under-dressed," I try to excuse myself again.

He walks over to me and frees my hands from the material of the shirt I've been worrying.

"You need to quit this shy shit. It's a gateway for others to dominate you and I'll be damned if anyone other than me wields that power over you. It undermines my authority."

I stare at him wondering what exactly his thought process is because I can't follow it. I don't even know how to respond.

I wish I could quit being shy like I could quit a job. Speaking of, I tried to quit on him yet here I am. So my aptitude may take a while to fall in line with his demands.

He then shrugs off his jacket and places it over my shoulders.

"There. You can never be under-dressed when you're wearing my colours."

The tail of his jacket brushes past my calves. It looks ill-fitting on me while it suits him perfectly. Between his colours and temper, I can understand why he's called The Red.

I don't get the chance to protest when he takes my hand and leads me out the door of his room.

I'm trotting barefoot to keep up with his long strides that echo through the halls with a distinct tap. It's like I'm seeing this place with fresh eyes even though I've been here before.

Who has dinner this late at night? I think back to the dining room with the portraits of those old white men I saw the first time he brought me here, and wonder who those people are, whether they're like him.

We stop outside closed double doors where an older gentleman dressed as a butler stands in wait. As soon as he notices Brice, he bows. Not a demure dip of the head, but a bow from the waist down.

My mind flits back to his words on power, authority and respect. I want to ask how, why and what gives him the right. Genuinely of course, because one - I don't want to upset him; and two - I'm confused at how an 18 year old can throw this much weight around.

"You're here as my guest of honour. You don't have to look them in the eye but do not. look. down. Don't embarrass me."

"WHAT?!" I find myself shouting in a hushed panic.

I'm not ready.

I need to gather my bearings.

I park my curiosity to the side when I look up and notice Brice profile set in a hard line. His face a mask of apathy.

"Just follow my lead."

The butler stands still as a statue, his back straight, and gaze ahead.

Brice, gives an imperceptible nod but he catches it, turns around, opens the door and announces, "Master Le Roux".

I hear the sound of chairs scraping against the floor as I assume the people on the other side stand up. We walk in hand in hand. I can feel their eyes on me, but I do what he says and don't look down.

I follow his lead to the head of the table taking note of the familiar scene. We come to a stand and I wait next to him. I recognise this room but the last time we were in here, we'd come in from the kitchen.

I muster the courage to look at the faces around the table and I'm mildly surprised I recognise each and every one of them.

"Gentlemen; Soleil," Brice introduces. "Soleil, you know my cousin Hidde Hugo," he starts on his right. "Not sure if you remember Didier and his brother Olivier DuPont." He moves over to the people on his left, "Louis and Baptist Bourbon."

I nod my head and remain mute. It looks like everyone at the table is family or related somehow. I don't know what I was expecting from the boys club they have going on, but I didn't expect them all to be so... young?

04 | 05 | 2023

WC: 3288

Milestone of 30K views on this book reached!

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Which is YOU reading this right now (whoever you are), thank you for taking the time to tune in for another installment :)

You are the silver refined from the dross.

There will always be more spectators than supporters but by all means run the numbers up lol

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If you enjoyed this then tap the star at the bottom of your screen.

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