Chapter Sixteen

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“HER LEVELS ARE DANGEROUSLY low. Her iron, glucose, sodium...they’re all way below what is required for a woman of her height and weight.” Dr Campbell snapped off his gloves and turned to swivel his chair to face me.

The vial holding Eleanor’s blood lay abandoned in the centrifuge machine. The droplets he’d tested all glowed in different stages of experiment in test tubes and on microscope slides.

“What has she had to eat since her arrival?” Without waiting for me to reply, he added, “I don’t think she’s sick or suffering a long-term illness. However, I’ll have questions when she wakes. It is worrying that she fainted, though. Her blood pressure is extremely low—that will be the cause of her blacking out, and the wounds left over from her relocation could also have drained her of energy.”

He paused, looking at me expectantly over his half-moon reading glasses. Pushing sixty, Dr Campbell came highly recommended and exceedingly expensive. But he was the best consultant and surgeon for my populated islands.

Leaning against the shelving on the other side of the small medical room, I kept my arms crossed. I didn’t glower at Eleanor as she lay prone and lifeless on the gurney. I didn’t relive the moment of triumph when I’d found her wet, then the frustrating annoyance of her crumpling at my feet.

At first, I thought it was a trick. A way out of our fierce debate.

But when I’d nudged her with my shoe and she hadn’t moved, I’d hauled her into my arms, stormed to the doctor, and demanded he figure out what the hell was wrong.

I didn’t like weak things.

I didn’t like feeling as if I’d caused her to collapse, all because I’d pushed her too far. I’d been pushing her since she fucking arrived. I’d hounded her and tortured her, and this was my penance.

“Sinclair...are you listening? What has she eaten since arriving? Maybe she’s intolerant to something? Perhaps she requires medicine that she hasn’t received? The sooner I know—”

“I don’t know her medical history, but I don’t think it’s anything to do with what she’s eaten...more like what she hasn’t.”

He stood, glancing at Eleanor. Her long hair cascaded off the gurney, a waterfall of gleaming chocolate. Her lips were slightly parted, her forehead smooth in slumber, her eyelashes feathering shadows on colourless cheeks.

She no longer looked like an avenging immortal but a hapless human who’d gone to war with a god and failed.

“You don’t think she’s eaten a thing since landing yesterday morning?” His white eyebrow rose in shock. “She arrived early. That was over”— he checked his wristwatch —“twenty-nine hours ago.”

I shrugged, cursing him for making me responsible for her passing out, all while I wished I could blame someone else. But really, the problem was entirely my fault. She’d arrived, I’d force-fed the elixir so her only concern for the rest of the day had been sexual hunger rather than bodily starvation, and then exhaustion sucked her deep with no reprieve.

I should’ve ensured she’d eaten, or at the very least had something to drink the moment she stepped out of her room. Instead, she’d picked a fight with me, ensured my guests witnessed our unsightly domestic, and then had the audacity to keep standing up to me when all I wanted was some space to think. Some understanding of why I found this woman so goddamn enticing.

She wasn’t special.

Sure, she was gorgeous but so were my other goddesses.

Why did she have the power to make my blood boil and cock pound?

Why did she make me struggle to remain human when all I wanted to do was ravage the fuck out of her?

“She needs nutrition, Sinclair. Urgently.” He moved toward a cupboard holding countless drawers. Each drawer hid something barbaric: needles, scalpels, and other tricks of the medical trade.

Withdrawing a syringe, he said, “I can give her something intravenously. At least it will kick-start her system.” His eyes hardened. “But you need to feed this woman if you want her to be strong enough to serve you.”

Nodding once, I let him busy himself with fluids and medicine. Turning away, I swiped on my phone and called Calvin.

Like always, he answered by the second ring. Punctual, polite, ready to please. “Hey. What do you need?”

“A smoothie. Get the kitchen to make something with as many vitamins and minerals as they can stuff inside a liquid lunch. Bring it to the surgery immediately. Then get them to cook a meal with every vegetable and fruit we have on this damn island. Take it to Jinx’s room in thirty minutes. Got it?”

“Got it.” He hung up.

I swiped a hand through my hair, tucking my phone back into my pocket. My eyes drifted once again to Eleanor, expecting to see her out cold, only to lock eyes with the condemning grey gaze of a woman who survived entirely on hate and fury.

“Ah, you’re awake.” Dr Campbell smiled down at her, the needle he’d been about to puncture her with poised like a tiny harpoon. “How are you feeling?”

Her gaze snapped from mine, to the doctor, around the room, then locked onto the syringe. She jack-knifed up so fast, her forehead hit the doctor’s chin, causing both of them to recoil with a groan.

The gurney creaked, and her hair fell around her face, hiding her from me as she pressed shaking hands to her eyes and weaved weakly on the raised platform.

The doctor recovered before her, ensuring the needle was still sterile and hadn’t touched anything. Placing it delicately into the stainless-steel tray on the bedside table, he waited until she swallowed, shook her head, and dropped her hands before saying gently, “You fainted. You’re okay. I’m Jim Campbell, and I’ve been taking care of you while you were unconscious.” He smiled with his perfect patient manner. “Your blood pressure is very low, but I hope, once you eat, you should feel right as rain.”

Eleanor swallowed again, throwing me a filthy look before looking gratefully at the doctor. “I agree. I know I’m dehydrated and overly hungry. I wanted to eat hours ago, but...” She snorted, glowering at me. “Things delayed me.”

“Yes, well. You can’t be ignoring meals again. It’s a detriment to your health.” He stared pointedly at the syringe. “I can give you something to replace the minerals that you’re lacking, a boost as it were. Would you like it?”

She shook her head so fast, she almost passed out again. “No. No more drugs against my will.”

“It’s not a drug, but I understand.” He moved the needle away. “Are there any underlying conditions you have? Any medicines you should be taking that perhaps you don’t have access to in your new...eh, employment?”

She once again glared at me, the grey of her gaze crackling with lightning in raging storm clouds. “No. I’m fine. I’m normally perfectly healthy.” She turned to look at the doctor again, saying harshly, “However, being stolen, sold, and then tormented by that man lurking in the corner hasn’t exactly been productive to my mental or physical well-being.”

I hid a cold chuckle behind a cough. “If you think Dr Campbell isn’t aware of what goes on in this place, think again.”

Campbell flushed. “Just because I know doesn’t mean—”

“You’re compensated accordingly.” I pushed off from the cupboards. “Now that Jinx is awake, let’s discuss her health check and birth control.”

“I think the exam can wait, don’t you?” He sniffed with as much attitude he dare give me. “Let the poor girl eat and rest. We can book in the examination in a couple of days.”

A couple of days?

Well, there went the scenario of putting her straight to work.

I could already taste the disappointment of my guests.

“Stop talking about me as if I’m not sitting right here,” Eleanor snapped. “And for your information, I don’t need an exam. I had a sexual health update five months ago before...before I began a relationship with my boyfriend.” Her eyes narrowed to daggers, hiding her grief. “I was clean. And as far as birth control goes, I opted for the IUD that lasts five years. With travelling around the world, I didn’t want to bother with popping pills and struggling to find the same brand in different cities, so don’t you dare get pumping me with things I don’t need. Don’t overdose me when I’ve swallowed my pride and told you everything you need to know. And don’t you dare stick anything inside me. I’ve already been subjected to that by the traffickers who sent me to you.”

My hands balled at the thought of her treatment before becoming mine. I never asked what the men did to the women I purchased, and hearing it from Eleanor, I didn’t like it. I didn’t like knowing she’d been violated.

You violated her, you bastard.

Yeah, but that was different. I might torment her, but I had boundaries...even if they were flexible and threatening to break around her.

At least, she was clean and immune to the nasty disease of pregnancy. Once she fortified her system with food, she could be capable of working tonight.

No reason I should delay cashing in on her bottomless value.

But did I trust her word? Should I rent her out tonight? Or should I allow her at least a few days to acclimatise before giving her to someone else?

A stab of white-hot jealousy caught me completely unaware.

That emotion was foreign to me. I hadn’t felt the thorns of green-eyed covetousness since I was a fucking teenager losing my virginity to my older brother’s ex. Even as I’d filled her, I’d been jealous knowing other men had fucked her.

The envy had only lasted two weeks before I’d realised that there was nothing to be jealous of. That girls weren’t important enough to pine over. That I had much better things to concern myself with.

I scowled and killed any shred of possessiveness I felt toward this inconvenience and highly fucking dangerous goddess. Just because of my reaction to her, I would make her work. Shit, I’d work her harder than any of my other girls.

Four men a month?

Perhaps it should be four a week. Farming her out often would ensure any interest I had would evaporate. Thanks to hearing the praises from the guests who’d had her, seeing their smirking satisfaction, reading their gushing feedback on her talents, I’d be firmly put in my place and her in hers.

Fuck.

The doctor nodded professionally. “Sounds as if you’re fully aware of your body and what you put inside it.”

“I am.” The withering look she gave me could’ve peeled paint off walls. I physically felt it. A lash of acid and acrimony. “I don’t let junk food or unhealthy things get anywhere near me.”

I smiled sadistically, wanting very much to say she’d inserted two of my fingers inside her voluntarily yesterday. I should remind her of her performance begging for my cock. I wanted to shove my hand under her nose and make her sniff her dried desire from before.

She’d had something unhealthy inside her.

She’d had me.

And if I couldn’t break this unnatural fucking fascination toward her, she’d be suffering a lot more.

I’d fuck her.

I’d tie her to my bed and ride her whenever the mood struck.

Screw lucrative contracts and eager guests.

It was my turn to enjoy a goddess. After all, this was my Elysium, not hers.

Christ, I’d gone bipolar. One second, I’d confirmed my intention to use her value for my gain, and the next, I squandered away her potential all so I could have a taste.

Back the fuck off, Sully.

She is what she is.

Nothing more.

A quiet knock sounded. The door opened without waiting for admittance, and Cal strolled in. His navy suit was as pristine as if he’d been working in a high-rise with a low-set thermostat. It didn’t matter it was pushing thirty-four degrees centigrade outside with a humidity factor of ninety percent; we were running a business, not enjoying a vacation, and business deserved the correct attire.

Not because of the stupid image but because a suit was power. A suit made other suits bow in respect. A suit kept the unruly men who paid to fuck my girls tight under my iron thumb.

Eleanor couldn’t keep her dislike off her face as Cal marched to her with a dewy-icy glass full of delicious looking smoothie. A twizzle stick and straw sat up in the thick pink liquid. Seeds from berries and glossy glow from almond milk ensured her system would be drenched in everything it needed.

Cal eyed me, then the doctor, before finally pinning his green gaze on Eleanor.

They didn’t speak but raging animosity filled the room between them. He passed her the smoothie soundlessly. She accepted wordlessly. He backed away, gave me a slight nod, then headed toward the door. “Her lunch will be in her room in thirty minutes, as you requested.”

I nodded as he sniffed in annoyance and exited the surgery, closing the door behind him, leaving a dirty trail of accusation and curiosity.

I got his wondering about my behaviour. I’d never stepped out of my role as law-maker and island-god before. But I wouldn’t tolerate his judgement.

Dr Campbell cleared his throat, all too aware of the tension between my new goddess and me.

Eleanor pointedly ignored me and attacked the smoothie as if she’d hunted it, killed it, and couldn’t wait for the first splash of berry-blood on her tongue.

I lurked by the wall, doing my best to stop yet another bolt of lust as her lips encircled the paper straw.

I wanted my cock to be that motherfucking straw.

I wanted it so bad my balls cramped with cum.

I wanted her more than the mountains of money she’d give me.

And that was the worst confession I could ever utter.