Viola
Iend up turning my phone off. The amount of messages from Lorcan freaking out, asking where I was, was becoming ridiculous. He can’t know I’m here. Not yet. Not until Dino does what I need him to do.
I’m not strong enough to kill my father alone. I know that now.
I need them to help me.
As soon as Dino mentioned his brother worked for Ethan, I knew. There are no coincidences any fucking more. None. Kristian works for my fucking father.
After he woke up in the hospital, Lorcan agreed to pay me a lot of money to kill the guy who tried to run him and his sister off the road. Once he gets his hands on the Duke fortune, I get one step closer to what I’ve always dreamed of.
I kill Kristian.
Dante kills my father.
Seems so fucking neat when you have it in your head like that.
Ethan is watching me now as I get dressed. I’m not allowed to be alone. When Dante was here, my father’s minions kept away, but now they’re about in droves. Ethan commands them all. Whatever he says to do, they rush to fucking obey. I hate Ethan more than my father, if you can believe that. I only tolerate him now because of the sweet plans I have that are swirling around in my head always, helping me smile and fucking wave, helping me sleep at night.
I spend the week alone in the mansion. I eat and sleep, and I even fucking read. At least I pretend to while I’m thinking of all the ways I’m going to reduce Ethan to a blubbering, bloody mess.
After a week, my father arrives and I’m summoned to his presence.
“You father doesn’t like to be kept waiting,” he says, gaze wandering all over my body as I squeeze into a tight fitting dress. My father hates slutty dresses, so I bought all of them. Dante’s credit card didn’t know what hit it. Funny enough, neither did he. I’ve never seen Dante so hot under the collar before, and he’s seen me in less. A lot less.
I tuck that information away for later and flash a bitchy smile at Ethan. I’m going to peel his skin off while he’s still alive. That’s what I’m going to do. I can’t wait.
The monster in me must be happy for once, because it’s quiet. I wonder if it’s the new environment. I hate change. My monster does not. It thrives on it.
I let Ethan lead me to my father’s office, but we don’t stop at the door. No, we continue through the hallway to the rear kitchens. Gigi, the only woman my father treats like a man, joins us on my right. Ethan on my left until we get to the basement, then Ethan goes first.
“After you, dear Viola,” Gigi says. I cut her a look and then walk in front. She takes position behind me, blocking any escape. The buzz under my skin has given way to a thud in my chest. Excitement thrums through my limbs as the adrenaline kicks in. Like an animal, I’m trapped. Gigi is stronger than she looks.
About halfway down, I feel the loss of Dante like an acute pain in my gut. He left me. He fucking left me. I don’t know why but I thought he’d be back before my father returned. I thought I had him figured out. If he’s not coming back then I’ve truly lost.
Gigi’s hand on my shoulder sends a cold thrill down my spine.
“This way, dear Viola.” She shoves me when we get to the bottom and I almost stumble. Thank fuck for my boots. No heels. Sturdy as fuck.
The basement is where my father takes those he’s upset with. I’ve been down here once, when it was my mother down here with father and all those men. I watched as she was helpless. They held her down and branded her. Like a fucking cow. Branded my father’s logo onto her thigh. Because he owned her and could do what he liked. And because she kept running away. He brands all the women he owns. It’s his thing.
But he’s never brought me down here, or branded me.
My breathing sharpens into small intakes of air and my hands feel clammy. I may not feel emotion, but I know when my body is processing fear.
I take the fear and shove it down where I can’t act on it. Nothing good will come from panicking or trying to run. There’s nowhere to run.
The basement is just another set of rooms the entire length of the old part of the house, but windowless. There’s a large main room with a corner sofa, an open plan kitchen, and an open fire. There are four rooms coming off. Two are bedrooms. One is a bathroom. The last one I’ve never been inside but I think it’s a vault.
The main room is where Ethan and Gigi take me, but to the side where there’s a small couch next to a bar, and a console table with the tools my father likes to use when he prises information out of people who fuck him over.
“Daughter.” I look into his dark eyes. I have my mother’s eyes and I know it pains him to see mine.
“Adrien,” I say. I’ll never call him father. I’d probably die choking on the word. He’s sitting on the small leather couch, drink in hand like he’s having a nice evening. Maybe a little light entertainment. That’s what I am to him. Fucking entertainment.
“It’s been a long time, daughter. I was beginning to think you’d never come back for your legacy.”
“Legacy?” I snort.