Page 55 of Wallflower

Brad looks to the camera, stroking himself faster. A taunt. A blatant disregard of orders.

“Do I need to call Richmond? He’ll gladly sever that distraction from your body.”

Brad’s need for release battles his self-preservation as he roughly shoves his erection back into the same black pants all the workers wear.

“Samuel, make your way to my office.Immediately.” He jerks a nod, eyes flicking to me and lingering, waiting for Brad to leave first.

“Rose?” Maximus’s voice usually demands compliance, but when speaking to me it’s soft. I don’t know who Mr. Morgan is, but I’ve surmised he’s important enough for Maximus to please. I look in the direction of the camera. “No one is permitted in your room except for Mr. Morgan, Karson, or myself. Is that clear?”

“Yes, but?—“

“I’ll have something installed in your room to assure you can reach me if someone disobeys.”

“Thank you.”

“Bradley…Samuel…I wouldn’t doddle, Richmond is…restless.” Maximus keeps us alert, flipping the conversation between the three of us until we’re dismissed.

“Rose, Karson will be along momentarily to escort you to the bathing room. Make yourself desirable, Mr. Morgan is swinging by.”

Fear lights up Sam’s eyes as he risks a glance at me before being shoved out the door by Brad.

“Leave the wrist brace off, it’s unattractive. And wear black.” Maximus coos through the intercom. “I have a feeling it’s his favourite.”

My gulp of trepidation is loud as the door clicks shut, lock sliding into place.

“So… What’s your favourite dinosaur?”

“What?” Mr. Smythe questions, slightly shocked, from next to me. Clearly, he’s an oblivious motherfucker, because in response to his ostentatious parrot shirt, I wore a dark billowy shirt with surfing Tyrannosaurus Rex’s on it.

“I saw the paperweight on your desk, figured you’d have one.” I shrug, following his casually dressed form down the hall to my waiting flower.

“I am not a child. I’ve never had, or will ever have, a favourite dinosaur.” He looks at me like I’m the fucking weirdo. Who doesn’t have a favourite dinosaur? Mine changes based on mymood, and right now, I wish I had a pet Ankylosaurus to smash him through a wall with its club tail.

It’s going to be so much easier to kill him after this.

In an attempt to not fly off the handle, I pay attention to my surroundings. Upon leaving Maximus’s office, Reid, the butler, led us back toward the main entrance, directing us to a far staircase. Once ascended, Maximus and I walked side by side down a hallway lit with soft pink lighting.

Silence hangs between us until Mr. Smythe stops before a door withBlossomwritten in black script. Is this her room? Fireworks detonate through my system while I wait for him to grant me access.

“Please notify me if anything is not to your liking, Mr. Morgan. I aim to please.”

Great. Get fucking lost. I’m about ready to combust.

Maximus reaches for the door knob, but I intercept. “May I?”

“Of course,” he responds. “There’s been a call button installed in your flower’s room. Please don’t hesitate to use it if needed.”

Something shifts beneath my skin, fist clenching inside my pants pocket. “Don’t call her that.” My mouth moves before I can stop it. The slight widening of his eyes brand him shocked at being talked to with such authority. But she’smyflower. No one else’s.

“Apologies. Carry on.” Backing away, Maximus waits for me to swing the door open in some grand gesture meant to infuse fear.

That’s not how I’ll break Rose. I’ve spent the mounting hours between us devising the perfect plan to have her shedding that thick skin. And when she’s finally a soft and fragile thing within my grasp, I’ll shatter her so thoroughly she’ll never be the same.

Slipping into her pink lit room through the smallest opening I can manage, the game begins.

The door snicks closed while I’m struck dumb by the woman dozing on the bed before me, hem of the black dress creeping up her thighs. The lights illuminate the soft pink satin sheets shining beneath her. She looks innocent, vulnerable, ready to be devoured and claimed. The hunger inside me threatens to take over, but I shove it away.

I like to play with my toys before breaking them.