Brian

I’m woken up the next morning by someone moving around my room and gently whispering something to someone under their breath. For a moment, I wonder if some of the maids haven’t realised that I’m still sleeping, with another girl in the same bed as me for God’s sake, when I realise that the space next to me is empty but still warm. Woozy and still half asleep, I open my eyes to see that Bianca is walking around the room with Athena in her arms, gently coaxing the little girl back to sleep as she moves. It seems to be working, and I wonder if she’s woken up crying and Bianca’s trying to stop the noise before I get mad.

I’ve always seemed to notice how despite the attitude the other servants in this house take towards me, Bianca’s always been a little hesitant and scared of me. It could have something to do with the fact that it was my idea to hold her down and make her watch us shoot her father dead, or could have something to do with the fact that generally, I don’t like the people beneath me. Though some of them can be useful and nice people, as Bianca’s proved herself to be already. When she notices that I’ve woken up, she jumps a little and pauses in her pacing, unsure of where to look.
It’s around about then that I notice I haven’t got a shirt on. Not that I’m embarrassed, the others have always called me a little bit of an exhibitionist, but by the way Bianca’s cheeks are turning a definite shade of red, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was.

“Um…Athena woke up a little upset, so I’ve changed her and…um…I don’t know what you want to do about feeding but…” she trails off as she walks towards me, unsure about whether to sit down next to me until I pat the bed next to me and she sits, cradling the little girl in her arms.
“Can I hold her?” I ask and she hands me the little baby, who’s quietened down a little bit and is smiling up at me. Already, I can feel something between me and this child, but I’m still not sure whether it’s a good or bad thing that’s building up in the pit of my stomach. And for the first time that morning, I stare over at Bianca and catch a glimpse of her in the early morning sunlight as it filters through the windows, gently catching on the edge of her dark hair and perfect curves.

Though I may have let it slip to the guys that I had a crush on one of the maids, I would never reveal, not even on my deathbed that it was Bianca. Not only would they give me shit for caring about someone who probably hates me and can’t even be in the same room with me without blushing at least twice or babbling like she’s lost control of her tongue, but she’d be terrified more than she already is. I have to learn to keep things like this out of everyone else’s business; otherwise they’ll all be laughing at me.
“So what now? I don’t know anything about babies, Bianca, you’re going to have to help me” I say but her mouth stays zipped shut, like she’s afraid to speak aloud for fear of saying something wrong, when suddenly I realise the little rule that all of our servants keep, especially the mouthy ones.
“You may speak Bianca, you have my permission”

“Thank you sir. And as for Athena, I suggest you start her on formula first seeing as there’s no woman in this household prepared physically or mentally to start breastfeeding, and then we’ll have to see what else she needs. I made a makeshift diaper out of a towel from my room, but you’ll need to stock up on everything as soon as you can” she says softly, reaching out to stroke the hair away from Athena’s face and tilt my arm up a little so it’s at an angle and supporting the little girls head as she sleeps softly in my arms. When her fingers touch my bicep, I feel a strange sort of shiver travel through my veins and though I don’t look at her, I focus my attention on Athena, wondering what on earth it all means.

“Why don’t you take Athena downstairs? I’ll shower and be down soon. I’m sure one of the girls will keep you company if they’re awake” I say as a sort of dismissal and she nods, taking Athena out of my arms and disappearing out of the bedroom door, not even looking behind her as she does so. I can’t help myself but stare at her rounded ass as she walks and when I finally tear my thoughts away from her, there’s a suspicious bulge in my boxers just from thinking about her. Another day where just my hand will have to do.
After my shower and quiet jack off session to all of the things I would do to Bianca is she was ever to become mine, I walk into the cool kitchen to find Bianca stirring a pan of milk on the stove and Vee stood watching Athena, who has been strategically placed in a wicker basket on the island in the kitchen, staring at the world around her.

“She’s our little Baby Gates, Br—Syn” Vee says, almost forgetting to use my alternate name around Bianca. She’s only been a part of this whole situation with the Masters of the house since last night, and yet she still walks around calling everybody Sir and being on her upmost behaviour as she does so, hoping that not a toe on her foot goes out of line or she’ll end up in the cells again. Vee’s a part of our world now, she knows more about us than probably we do- but she’s useful and that’s why Jimmy’s kept her for so long. That and because he’s probably gone soft and fallen in love with her all over again.

“Well, Athena doesn’t belong to me, Vee. That’s what we’re going to try and work out today- where this little baby came from” I say as I grab a packet of Pop Tarts from the cupboard and lean against the island, my eyes already trained on the newest addition to our family. Strangely, Bianca doesn’t say a word as Vee and I speak, and barely even looks up when Jimmy’s bounds into the room, almost falling over his own two feet in a bid to get towards either food or his girlfriend. And having known this particular man for the best part of sixteen years, I’m guessing it’s the food he wants more.
It’s strange observing Jimmy inside and out of his job.

When he’s at home, he’s carefree and happy. He’ll jump around the house like a squirrel on steroids and will talk to everyone and anyone who will listen to his terrible jokes and anecdotes about the world around him. But as soon as he slips on that black coat and puts the black war paint across his cheek, it’s almost as though a mask has been placed across his face and The Rev comes out to play; a dark and dominative man who cannot feel pain or emotion. He shows no mercy for the common man, for the weakness that pain plays on the body, for he is indestructible.

“So, Shads thinks he’s got a lead on who Athena’s birth mom might be. He’s bringing in all the big guns- calling up everyone he knows who could lead into this. Last I heard he was talking to Padge about the victims” Jimmy says as he steals one of my Pop-Tarts from the packet and tears it open with his front teeth, not even noticing when liquid fudge ends up on his clean t-shirt. As Vee tuts under her breath and goes over to talk to Bianca, I glance over at my old friend. Padge is a member of Bullet For My Valentine, one of our closest allies, and also, one of Jimmy’s favourite people.
“What did he say?”
“The victims were loners, they had no connections anywhere. He’s been hacking everywhere he can think of, but he and Zack can’t find anything. It’s like those men never existed at all”

Hurriedly, I finish the last of my Pop-Tart and throw the foil in the bin, walking over to Bianca and Vee, who abruptly finish their conversation as I walk over and without thinking, I kiss her cheek, feeling her skin heat up beneath me.
“I’ll be in Shadows’ office is you need me” I say to her and disappear up the stairs with Jimmy, wondering what’s gotten into me all of a sudden. The last thing I need is for her to think that I actually like her, even though I do. God feelings are so complicated.
As Jimmy hurries ahead, I stop for a moment, a question suddenly popping into my mind and I turn around to head back down to the kitchen, when suddenly I hear Bianca’s voice floating out into the hallway where I’m stood. And what I hear almost reveals my cover.

“How on earth am I going to tell him I know who the mother is?”