Page 1 of Cruel Master

Prologue

Hadrian

Kendrickcloseshiseyesand rubs his temple. With a heavy sigh, he collects his whiskey decanter and two glasses and pours us each a generous measure. It’s not even nine, and I’ve already ruined his day.

He sets the glasses down. “And you think this is a wise course of action?”

The correct answer is clearly no, but I push on regardless. “I’m not breaking any rules.”

Silence stretches out as his flat stare bores into me. I take a sip of my whiskey just to keep my hands busy, careful not to wince at the nasty taste. Why do people enjoy this stuff? Like so much else that seems to make people happy, it’s a mystery to me.

“This is a chance for a fresh start, Hadrian. A Ward is supposed to represent your future, not your past.” He raises a hand as I open my mouth to object. “I’m well aware things worked out well in Sebastian’s case, but you have to understand how unusual that is. Given your history together, do you really believe Juliet will accept you as her master?”

Master. The word settles deep in my bones, echoing into all the hidden places. Juliet was my wife. My best friend. Alwaysright beside me, never beneath. I ought to be revolted by that word, but a sick thrill chases along my nerves.

Master.

I face Kendrick’s question head-on. “Yes. I’ll make sure of it.”

He gives a tight nod. That was the right answer, then. Good. I say the wrong thing so often that I tend to keep quiet. But I need to learn to show confidence, even if it’s the last thing I feel.

Strength. Power. Dominance.

Not words I would normally use to describe myself. Not what I thought Juliet wanted. But if the material she watches is anything to go by, she likes it. She likes it a lot.

Kendrick takes a sip of his drink, studying me. “There’s no turning you from this path?”

“No, sir.”

And that is the truth. I’ve been with other women since Juliet, but every encounter felt hollow and pointless. She took everything from me, and still, she’s all I want. Does that make me pathetic? Maybe. But I don’t care.

I see the moment Kendrick accepts I won’t be dissuaded. His muscles relax, his eyes soften, and there’s something indefinable, too. The moment it’s clear we’ve moved past the confrontational part of the conversation.

I’ve spent my entire adult life studying the tiny things that make a human feel real. Most computational intelligences fail the Turing test in seconds because of tiny, subtle tells. I’m not a natural face reader, but I’ve studied it like any other discipline, determined to give my creations the best chance at life. If they can’t pass as human, they don’t have a hope.

“When are you planning to take your Ward? I urge you to give yourself a lot of time. We’ve had too many close calls lately. We don’t need another.”

That, I won’t argue with.

“I need a couple of months to prepare, sir. I’ll give myself plenty of time. Don’t worry.”

I’ve been preparing for months already, and the changes to my body still surprise me. The extra muscle I’ve been slowly building. The colorful ink decorating my skin. All the subtle differences, designed to help Juliet see me as someone new, even once I remove the costume.

If I’m going to succeed, I can’t be the same Hadrian she once knew. I have to become the man of her dreams, and nightmares.

Her Master.

“I’ll trust you in this. Request whatever you need.”

Oh, I will. When Juliet arrives, I’ll be ready.

Chapter One

Juliet

Whateveryoudo,don’tlose your temper.

Easier said than done. Mum always told me you can take the girl out of Scotland, but never the Scot out of the girl. She might be right. Waiting outside the office that used to be mine has me wishing for a claymore. And an army of kilted heroes to smash through this fucking door.