“Sophia, look at him. He is in
utter bliss.”
Will opened his eyes and looked
at Sophia from the corner of them. He didn’t rise, didn’t swallow.
“Oh,” she said in amazement.
“You shouldn’t have done it here,” she said in a hiss.
“It wasn’t me. He started with
my pet.”
Sophia slammed her fist hard on
the table, making the salt seller and pepper mill jump and topple. “Dammit.
After Terrance’s debacle, I thought I was clear on this. I don’t want him in
our rooms. He is neither one of us nor one of them. Don’t make me regret keeping
him. I’ll sell him,” she threatened. “Tomorrow. He should have a normal life.”
Will did swallow then. “No.
Please. I won’t go in any of the rooms again. Just let me have this,” he said,
reaching for Nicholas again.
Sophia held his wrist, stopping
him from touching Nicholas. “You can’t have us,” she said with a sigh. “You see
what you’ve done?”
“Don’t worry, Will. You can
stay and we’ll find you nice boys to play with,” Nicholas said with a smile.
Sophia continued to glare at
both of them. “You will fix this,” she said, holding Will’s hand out toward
Nicholas’.
Taking Will’s hand, he pulled
him to his feet.
“I bet you’re half-drunk on
that, aren’t you?” Nicholas asked. “Let’s get you in your bed.”
“Oil,” Will said, brow
furrowing. “Why do you taste like oil?”
The salt seller and pepper mill
jumped again as Sophia drove two fists into the table.
Nicholas continued to guide the
boy by his shoulders. “You’ll figure it out.”