Seeing the conflicting emotions flickering across Alex and Bella's expressions, when they saw Lisa and Ken being brought to the Wolf, made Trish feel a little better about her own reactions. She wasn't the only one to feel a sense of satisfaction, of a kind of karmic justice, at their predicament.
The expression on the Wolf's face was the most interesting though - he was watching Alex and Bella's reactions with a kind of benevolent expression on his face - the kind of expression someone wore when they were giving someone a gift. Was this his gift to Bella and Alex? A punishment for their cheating exes as a kind of present from the Wolf?
Earthers had an entirely different morality than the Moon. Then again, the Moon's morality wasn't all that great in a lot of areas either. Trish honestly wasn't sure which she preferred.
Ken started shouting threats and was gagged. Trish was a little surprised, since being reminded that he was the son of one of the ministers colluding with the Wolf, she'd thought he might actually have a point. But it seemed the Wolf didn't really care all that much about that particular alliance. That, or he felt it was secure enough he didn't care about Ken's father's reaction.
Waving his hand, the Wolf looked over to Nurse Roche, who was standing along the wall near one of the doors. "Nurse Roche, please take Slut and Bitch to be processed. I'd like to spend a little bit of quality time with my Pet and Toy before they go."
Slut and Bitch. Surprisingly apt nicknames. The Wolf had apparently figured out exactly who they were.
As Nurse Roche came over to lead Lisa and Ken away, several of the guards assisting, Jordan began to pull Trish back towards the door they'd come in. Surprised, Trish glanced back at the dais, where the Wolf had Bella squirming on his lap, one hand on her throat while Alex knelt between her spread legs. She was surprised Jordan didn't want to watch.
Surprised by the tinge of disappointment that she felt at realizing they weren't going to watch, knowing this was probably the last time Bella and Alex were going to be on display.
Being here on Earth had really done a number on her head.
******
Taking Trish out of the room, Jordan felt strange.
His stomach was churning, his chest was tight, and it felt like his jaw was permanently clenched. The last time he'd felt like this... well, it had been before he met the Wolf.
He didn't like it.
But he had to obey the Wolf's orders.
While the Wolf extended Jordan quite a bit of leniency, more than anyone else ever received from the Wolf, there were certain things he was resolute on. Like the old Warlord, the Wolf allowed his soldiers to take a man or woman who caught their fancy. They were given the opportunity to show them what life would be like. But then they had to let them go.
No one could even complain, because the Wolf followed his own rules. He always let his captives go.
Most people didn't have to go through offering freedom more than once. The vast majority of people taken by the Wolf's soldiers chose to stay. Life was better in the Wolf's compound; safer, more stable... and they were all good at providing pleasure. Although the Wolf's domain extended beyond the compound, his territories still weren't quite as safe as it was behind these walls. The Wolf insisted on giving the choice though, something which had been a drastic change from when the old Warlord had ruled. When the Wolf had taken over, and forced the old lord's soldiers to release anyone who wanted to go, there had been a mass exodus.
Some of them had come back eventually, but not many - and very few to the person they'd left.
Jordan wished he felt more sure of Trish. Even though he was determined to go after her again, once he'd left the Wolf's employ, he was now realizing - he
wanted
her to choose to stay with him.
It would mean something if she did.
Something intangible. Something he'd never had before.
Something he hadn't even known he wanted until this moment.
And he had to ask her now, because Alex and Bella would be leaving within the next couple hours. Trish had to be given the option of going with them.
Taking her back to his room, he sat her down on the bed and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest as if to try and hold in the uncomfortable emotions he couldn't quite control.
"You have a choice," he said, jumping straight into the conversation. He didn't really know any other way to broach things, after all. Trish sat on the edge of the bed, in the position he'd placed her in, the way she always did in the mornings. Seeing her obedience helped to calm him a little - but only a little. "I'm... retiring, for the lack of a better word. I have all the money I need and a place on an island near the equator. The Wolf is going to promote Zadia in my place and will only call on me if he has need."
Trish stared up at him silently.
This was the hard part. The part he had to force his jaw to unclench for so he could actually get the words out. The part that made his heart start hammering inside of his chest.
"You can come with me."
He said it as more of an order than anything else. It was what he wanted.
"Or... stay here?" Trish's soft whispered question sent unexpected pain lancing through his chest. Why did the idea of her not wanting to be with him hurt so much? He'd always wanted a woman who would do as he wanted, as he said, and while he'd been disappointed when things hadn't worked out, when he'd been called too demanding, possessive, or controlling, he hadn't cared that much. Now, he'd taken Trish, turned her into his baby girl, gave her pleasure, took care of her needs, kept her safe... he'd been far more demanding, possessive, and controlling with her than any of his past relationships with women, and yet the idea of her not wanting him, not wanting that, actually made his chest ache and feel empty, even though it had never overly bothered him in the past.
"Or go home," he said, firmly. There was no way he'd be able to tolerate her staying here. The only way to stay in the Wolf's compound was to work for him, or to be with someone who worked for him. There would be no occupation for someone like Trish, who was far from being a soldier, tactician, or scientist - and the Wolf was unusually well educated in Earther history and culture so he wouldn't need an expert on the areas Trish was well versed in. And Jordan would kill any man or woman who tried to claim her for their own.
"Home?" She sounded confused.
"To the Moon." He glanced at the timepiece on his wrist. The Wolf should be wrapping things up soon. He could try to drag this out... or he could just get it over with. "Alex and Bella will leave for the shuttle in ten minutes. You can go with them or stay here with me."
