Chapter 7

“Wear those shoes,” Leon just repeated himself, putting his hands in his pockets and letting out a small breath. I just glared back at him while he stared down at me in return. This went on for several minutes, a tense silence hanging in the air, filled only by the faint sound of our breathing and the quiet hum of the basement. Shamefully, I was the first to look away. I felt a pang of disappointment in myself for not being able to hold his gaze for so long, for not being able to scowl him down as I wanted.

Scowling, I grabbed the shoes and forced them onto my feet. To my surprise, they fit perfectly, almost as if they had been made for me. I wondered if he had guessed my size himself, or if it was just a coincidence that the shoes fit so well. The thought made my mind run in a mix of annoyance and curiosity. Leon, as usual, said nothing, his cold, unreadable expression not giving away even a fraction of a reaction.

“My brother is on his way here and will join us soon,” he said after a pause, glancing at his watch. Almost immediately, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching the room. A blond-haired guy walked in. He was very handsome, about my height but just a little shorter than Leon. I noticed the resemblance between the two of them right away, but his features were softer, gentler compared to Leon, whose face always seemed to carry a cold, unyielding look.

It wasn’t just because Leon was older. There was something about Leon’s face, his gaze and his presence that made him look almost brutal in his handsomeness. His brother, in contrast, had a gentler aura. His eyes didn’t hold the same icy edge; his jawline, though strong, didn’t match Leon’s and even his posture seemed less imposing. It was subtle, but the difference was clear, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him, trying to study every detail of his face and every movement as he stepped closer.

Nobody said anything as we both stared at each other, the air heavy with tension. My heart was beating faster, partly from curiosity and partly from the strange unease I felt being trapped here, in this house, with these two brothers.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” I turned to Leon, my voice filled with irritation. “Aren’t you going to tell your brother that you got him a cute little sex slave?” I spat the words out, letting the anger and disbelief bubble over.

For a moment, there was just silence and it was almost unbearable. Kael finally spoke after several long, drawn-out minutes, sounding like he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. “That must be a joke. Are you serious, Leon? You… you bought him for me? Why?” His eyes narrowed, scanning Leon. “I didn’t tell you I needed anyone. And if I was… if I was horny, I am more than capable of hooking myself up with someone else,” he added, as if he was daring Leon to contradict him.

Leon’s expression changed suddenly, irritation flashing across his features. “You better not make the mistake of hooking yourself up anymore,” he warned, his voice cold and dangerous. “Do you want me to remind you of the amount I spent to cover up your last mistake? Or do you want to claim that you’ve suddenly forgotten?”

Kael let out a frustrated frown and opened his mouth to reply, “I’ll pay you back your money…”

Leon cut him off immediately, his voice becoming louder “This isn’t about the money. I don’t care about how much I’ve spent. What matters is that you need to listen to me now. You misused the last chance I gave you. You have proven to me that you can’t be trusted. And for that, you’ll have to stay here, under the radar, not showing yourself out until I say so. You still don’t understand what could happen every time you want to… satisfy yourself badly.”

Kael let out a long, frustrated sigh and ran his hand through his hair, his movements showing how tense he was. “I already apologized,” he said through gritted teeth, “and I told you that wasn’t going to happen again. How about you just give me another chance to make up for my mistake?”

“No,” Leon replied coldly, his dark eyes flashing with displeasure. “I am tired of giving you chances. Enough is enough. I’m fed up with you, and I know you’re just so unable to control yourself. That’s why I found you a fix.” His gaze was intense and unwavering, making it impossible to look away. “He will stay here with you all through the summer, until you have to leave the country next year. You need to listen to me, because this is the only option you have for now.”

I felt my blood boil, my chest filling with anger and disbelief all at once. “I am not going to accept that,” I said suddenly, my voice cutting through the conversion between the two brothers. “I am not an option, and I will never be one, so it’s better I make that clear right now.” I crossed my arms firmly over my chest, not caring that it wasn't the right time for me to have talked.