Hero?

48

"Well I have to say Jerome, you did a very good job," Ana says as she interviews the man in front of her. The slight sheen of sweat that is forming on his forehead confirms what Ana already suspected.

"I don't understand, boss." Jerome says and is pleased that his voice hasn't broken to give him away. But his breathing has.

"You hid yourself and your betrayal very well from me. How long did you betray me to Spider? What did they offer you?"

"I wouldn't betray you, Boss! There is nothing that they could offer me to make it worth my while to betray you." Now his eyes are wide in fright. Being accused of betraying Ana would make anyone go wide eyed with fright that in itself wasn't confirmation of guilt. But Ana knows more about her men than any of them could possibly believe. She knows their secrets.

The smile she gives him makes him get sick. "You know you can't lie to me." She turns from him to Damon. 

"I'm done. This is the one." 

Damon nods and calls Calum in. "Take Jerome to the cells and hold him there until Ana is ready to take care of him. She will likely be dealing with him tomorrow after the slaves are dealt with."

Calum roughly takes Jerome in his grip and pulls him out of the room. None of them take kindly to traitors.

"Now what Ana? You ready to go to bed now or do you want to deal with your guests upstairs first?"

Ana gets a glint in her eyes, "I think now would be a good time to deal with them. However, I really don't think it's fair to stick Jezey's mother in with her all night."

"I'll have the bedroom across from mine made ready for her. She seemed like she has been treated rough for some time."

Ana smiles at him sweetly, "She has been. She definitely deserves to be treated well now."

Damon and Ana wait for the two ladies to join them. Shortly Jonah brings the two to the study and leaves.

"Jezey, how nice of you to join us tonight." Ana's voice is laced with poison as she faces her rival. Then she turns her attention to the other lady and her smile turns sad and her voice sincere.

"I am very sorry that you've been caught up in this. This next little bit will be humiliating and I apologize for it."

Damon takes over at that time coming up to stand at Ana's side. "Time to strip ladies." The older woman immediately starts disrobing. Years of abuse had taught her well to do what you're told when you're told to do it.

Jezey on the other hand didn't try to take off any of her clothes. Ana smiles, she thought that would be Jezey's reaction and so she takes her knife and cuts off Jezey's clothes.

Jezey looks at her with wide frightened eyes. "What are you doing you freak?" She screams as she tries to hide herself from their eyes.

Ana loses her patience and slaps her. "Things have changed, Jezey. I told you that you are nothing without your father. Well as of this morning your father is dead. You are mine to do with as I see fit."

Jezey is so astounded that she just stares at Ana in a deep shock.

"Damon?" Ana asks turning to him.

Damon smiles and starts evaluating the two before him. He finishes the evaluation of the mother before he turns to Jezey and smiles cruelly at her.

"You can get dressed now, Ma'am." Ana says as Damon turns to Jezey. 

Jezey's mother doesn't waste anytime getting dressed.

"I've finished, Ana," Damon says finishing his evaluation as the other woman finishes getting dressed.