Elegant Sins - Stasia Black Page 0,30

with bated breath.

And then Montgomery’s hand was back on my necklace, but this time it wasn’t gentle.

He tore the pearls from around my neck. The silk thread was delicate, and it snapped with only the slightest pinch. And the pearls—the beautiful, delicate pearls—they pinged to the floor like elegant little expired shell casings.

I looked to Montgomery, feeling devastation tear through my stomach.

Did I fail the test?

Was I too forward? Should I not have responded when he—

But then Montgomery was tying a black ribbon around my neck.

I didn’t know what it meant. I was quickly realizing that when it came to The Order of the Silver Ghost, I knew nothing.

Dr. Nichols’ words from earlier came back to me: Don’t try to anticipate. Just give in to it. There’s no shame or judgment here.

So, I didn’t let myself back down. No shame. No fear. If the black ribbon meant I was marked to be sent away, so be it.

I stood proudly. I stared Montgomery Kingston down, not giving an inch. The electricity was still there between us. I would show no fear. I’d have him or I’d have no one. It was a sudden decision, but it was the right one. I knew it to my bones.

I deserved my place here and I deserved to be his. He would be lucky to have me. I waited for him to realize it, too.

I saw the moment that he did. The intensity of his scrutinizing gaze eased just the tiniest bit, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

And then he said the words that would seal both of our fates: “I have chosen.”

His words brought a rush of elation unlike anything I’d ever felt before in my entire life. Followed by a healthy dose of fear.

Now it was time to see exactly what the hell we’d both just gotten ourselves into.

9

Montgomery

I didn’t even know her name.

I was about to fuck a woman within moments of “meeting” her, and I couldn’t tell you a single thing about this girl other than to speak of her beauty and how she carried herself.

We were side by side, marching behind the Elders as they led us to our bedroom. I tried to remember if there were any rules on whether or not speaking was permissible before consummating the choosing.

Taking a risk, I whispered, “What’s your name?” I figured if the Elders heard and it wasn’t allowed, they would quickly silence me.

“Grace,” she quietly replied.

“Montgomery,” I said, though I was pretty sure she was aware of that fact. It still seemed like the polite thing to do.

One night stands and meaningless hookups weren’t my particular taste. I actually preferred to at least know something about the women I slept with, and I often preferred to taste over and over again. And even though tonight wouldn’t be a one-time fuck with this woman—the Order would make damn sure of it—the situation felt like one.

Cold. Emotionless. A lack of any real connection or desire to go beyond the act of sex itself.

I didn’t want tonight to happen. Although, I had a feeling this was just the beginning of things I didn’t want.

When we entered the spacious room on the second floor, I instantly recognized it. The truth of the matter was that I had been in all the rooms of the Oleander at one time or another playing tag or hide and go seek as a boy. Odd that I was now entering as a man about to begin my Initiation.

This room was by far one of the largest and even had its own fireplace. The large king size, four-post canopy bed barely filled the massive space. There was plenty of room for a sitting area with a small couch and two high-back armchairs that sat before the handcrafted mantle.

The large window with flowing drapes overlooked the pool and rose gardens of the expansive grounds. The room had colorful rugs, rich-toned wood furniture, collectible books in a custom-made bookcase, and antiques dating from the Civil War era.

My favorite part of the room had always been the bedspread that simply screamed The Order of the Silver Ghost. It was rich-toned silver that matched the cloaks the members wore with gold embroidery hand sewn by a seamstress long past. Rumor was that the gold thread used was actually made from treasures plundered in the medieval days of battles fought and won. I never imagined that I would not only be sleeping under the fabric but having sex on it.

I hadn’t looked