Master of Lust

"It\'s no joke, sir. Or should I call you father-in-law?" Rick looked perplexed. "Never mind, we can figure that out in due time."

"Young man, you certainly have a sense of humor," this time it was Michelle who chimed in. "But I must admit, I\'m a bit puzzled. I\'ve never heard of you before."

"My dear daughter got herself a boyfriend and I didn\'t know about it. That\'s actually disappointing," Michelle expressed her disappointment.

"Save it, we are not that close," Evelina was not happy with Rick\'s comment, but she cared even less for Michelle judging from her tone.

"She can be a bit moody," Michelle told Rick, not bothered by Evelina\'s rude remark, "So, can you fill us in on how you two met? How long have you known each other?" Michelle asked eagerly. "Spill the beans, what\'s the story?"

"Michelle!" Jack\'s voice turned deep and intimidating as he attempted to hush his wife. But the lady seemed unperturbed, waving her hand dismissively.

"Come on, let the man speak. Aren\'t you curious about your daughter\'s mysterious new boyfriend who appeared out of nowhere?" Michelle insisted.

"Enough with the stupid gossip. Be quiet," Jack silenced Michelle, clearly not in the mood for such frivolous conversations.

"And you, I won\'t repeat myself. Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Jack asked, his voice dripped with mounting irritation.

Instead of answering, Rick posed a peculiar question. "What\'s 3+1?"

"What?" Jack was caught off guard by Rick\'s unexpected question.

"What\'s 3+1?" Rick repeated, his tone unwavering. "It\'s a straightforward question, right? What\'s 3+1?"

"Boy you are getting on my nerves, now," the scowl on Jack\'s face deepened as he issued a warning to Rick.

"At least now you get a taste of how I have been feeling," Rick nonchalantly shrugged.

"Boy..." Jack started, clearly at a loss for words.

"Is this how all wealthy folks act or what? Is your vocabulary really that limited?" Rick taunted Jack with a sly grin. "I used to think rich people were all about high-class sophistication, speaking in fancy, incomprehensible ways. But look at you, smashing that myth, breaking the mold, a true Le-Jhund."

"No matter how many times you ask, how you ask it, my answer won\'t change," Rick stated as he put his arm around Evelina. "I\'m here because of your daughter. She wanted me to meet her grandmother. Perhaps she wanted to introduce me to her family."

"So how can I hurt your daughter? I had to come," Rick affectionately glanced at Evelina and winked, all while looking at her disapproving expression. She clearly wasn\'t pleased with his words.

"Well, well! You\'re already taking such good care of her. I\'m feeling a bit envious," Michelle playfully nibbled her finger as she looked Rick up and down, sporting a mischievous grin. "My husband doesn\'t look at me the same way anymore."

"Too bad... You\'re still..." Rick began with a smirk, intending to offer Michelle a compliment, but he was interrupted as a few more people entered the room.

"Jack? What\'s happening here? I thought you mentioned some of our friends were coming. Where are they?" a man inquired as he stepped into the hall. However, his attention was quickly drawn to Evelina.

"Evelina... You... You are back?" He stuttered as his gaze shifted from Evelina onto Jack, looking at him with questioning eyes, "You didn\'t tell me."

"No need to blame him. I was a surprise to him as well," Evelina\'s unfriendly gaze continued to pierce the new folks was well. The man, the woman behind him and two children who cared little about what what was happening around them, engrossed on their phones.

"And where\'s Master Garret? I don\'t see him," the man inquired, scanning the room.

"Oh, Uncle, you\'re asking about him already. Is there something you\'d like to inquire from him?" Evelina raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with amusement. "Maybe something like how I\'m still alive?"

"Evelina! Is this how you speak to your uncle?" Jack reprimanded Evelina, raising his voice. "Don\'t forget your manners just because you have a say in a few matters. It won\'t last very long."

"Blood is indeed thicker than water," Evelina acknowledged, a realization dawning upon her. "You can\'t endure a few words against your baby brother."

"But Dad," Evelina\'s tone suddenly grew icy, her gaze piercing, "Aren\'t I your daughter? What have I done for you to actually stoop so low?" Evelina asked.

"Mind your words," Jack swiftly responded, "What low? How dare you talk to your family like that?"

"Do you want me to spell it for you?" Evelina showed no signs of backing down. "Do you think I\'m unaware of what that old bastard was up to?"

"Do you think I don\'t know why you all sent him with me?" Evelina said as her gaze moved from Jack, Michelle and everyone else in the room.

"Why... do you... think that... pig... is not here... with us?" Evelina smirked as she took a step closer to her father with every words she spoke.

"He is dead, that\'s why." Evelina was mere couple of steps away from her father, looking straight into his eyes.

"He is dead? What do you mean?" Who can kill the master?" Jack\'s eyes shook, his body trembling, and his brain, not ready to accept what Evelina just said.

"You are lying," the man, the younger brother of Jack almost ran towards Evelina, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards him. His grip was so tight that it elicited a cry of pain from Evelina.

"Get your hands off of her," Before Evelina could even react, Rick was already beside her, his hand on the man\'s collar.

"Who are you?" The man glared angrily at Rick.

"I am the man who is going to break your arm if you don\'t let go of her," Rick retorted, his voice cold and brimming with anger.

"You..." The man began to protest, but Rick swiftly shifted his hand from the man\'s collar to his neck, seizing him by the throat. Rick\'s fingers tightened around the man\'s neck, choking the words right out of him, leaving him breathless.

"I told you, let... her... GO," Rick\'s voice grew even more menacing, filled with deadly intent. "Is this basic English too difficult to comprehend?" His hold on the man\'s neck continued to tighten with each passing moment.

"He got me... Save me..."

"I can\'t. I don\'t have bullets."

"Then hit him with the pan."

"Are you fucking kidding me? With the pan? He will puncture me with bullets."

"Will you leave me to die?"

"Don\'t worry, I will avenge you."

"..."

"..."

"..."

There was suddenly pin drop silence in the hall.

"Are these your sons?" Rick inquired, his tone showing a hint of uncertainty as he glanced at the two boys.

"Uh... Yes, they... They are," the man replied, momentarily forgetting about the pain, his voice still strained.

"You\'re a pathetic excuse for a father," Rick remarked with a sense of pity. Their dad was on the brink of being choked to death, and these useless kids were more concerned with their pursuit of \'Chicken Dinner\'?

"Let go of the girl and I will let go off you. I hope you understand." Rick offered truce without delay.

The man nodded and his grip on Evelina\'s arm loosened. And just as he let go of her, Rick let go off his man and even helped him stay on his feet as he breathed heavily, gasping for air.

"Take it easy, buddy. Breathe deeply," Rick comforted Jack\'s younger brother, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. Then, he turned his attention to the woman who had arrived with him. "Why are you just standing there like a deer caught in headlights? Go and fetch some water for him," Rick commanded.

The woman was taken aback by Rick\'s voice, her body trembling as she saw him looking at her. Slowly, as his words registered in her mind, she hurried toward the table, filled a glass with water, and swiftly brought it over to Rick, handing it to him.

"Why are you handing it to me? Can\'t you see your husband struggling to breathe? Give it to him," Rick found these wealthy folks rather exasperating.

Realizing her oversight, the woman promptly gave the glass of water to her husband. He eagerly drank the water, and once he\'d caught his breath, he shot a grateful look in Rick\'s direction.

Once the man had caught his breath, Rick released his hold and stepped away from him. He then turned toward Evelina, placing a gentle hand on her back. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?"

"Oh, so now you remember me? Is your bromance done?" Evelina responded with a sarcastic quip.

Rick whispered, "Do you want a little spank right now?" as his hand gently trailed down Evelina\'s back, eliciting a shiver of sensation that rippled through her body, You have been acting rather bossy lately."

"Don\'t," Evelina attempted to stop Rick. Her heart raced, and her butt clenched when she felt her hand move down. She quickly grabbed his hand, and pushed it away from her, "Don\'t even think about it."

"Feisty, I see," Rick remarked with a sly grin. He withdrew from Evelina, but not before warning her, "I\'ll make sure to get my proper compensation for this," Rick whispered in her ear before pulling away.

"Please, carry on with your family drama, \'Bad Blood.\' It\'s quite the spectacle," Rick added, his tone laced with amusement, "I won\'t meddle."

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