VIOLA
Something or someone must have spooked Griffin because he was gone when we got to his three-story town house in Chelsea Square the same night. There was nothing to do but head back and pretend Kato had been dealt with and that Griffin would be next.
Kato agreed to lie low to buy us time until we find Rebecca. And I agreed to let Dante go looking for her, so as not to arouse suspicion. But it’s been weeks. Dante has been gone to the fucking wind ever since.
Where are you, Dante?
Have you left me to rot in hell again?
Adrien is back tonight, and I have to face him alone. I don’t mind being stuck in the house all day every day when I don’t have to deal with him. I can deal with my own monster. But when he’s here, there are two monsters and I know which one I'm more fearful of.
I take time dressing before he arrives. It’s either that or pace the room like a caged animal. I’ve taken to wearing long flowing dresses that show off enough skin to piss him off, and yet hide the ugly scar on my thigh. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing it on my flesh. He doesn’t get to see that.
I pick out a red number to match the mood I’m in. I’ve started dreaming of being covered in blood again. Night after night, Dante comes to me in my sleep and slashes my throat while Lorcan, Jude and Dino watch. Only, in my dreams I’m wearing white.
It’s a fucked-up dream but it doesn’t take a psychiatrist to work out what the fuck my subconscious feels guilty for.
I’m missing the boys. I didn’t think I would. I never miss anyone. But they creep into my thoughts when I’m not expecting it.
The door to my room opens just as I’m fixing my hair. It’s Gigi. There are no locks in this house, and Gigi doesn’t believe in knocking. She shoots me a toxic look and scowls. She doesn’t even need to speak. I know what her being here means. She’s never far from Adrien so when she’s here, he’s near.
“He wants to see me then?”
“Just fucking hurry up,” she says, eyes filled with black hate. She didn’t like me before, but she absolutely loathes me now. And I know why. After Dante pushed her into the furnace, the fire scarred her hands. She blames me. What irks her more is that my father won’t let her touch a hair on my head.
Not that I can’t handle her myself.
I follow Gigi downstairs, past the grand hallway, and into the dining room. She pays me no attention as I follow her, but I study her as we walk. I note that she’s wearing gloves. Just like me, she’s hiding her new scars. I also see where she keeps her set of keys for the house. I said there are no locks in the house, but there are other doors that have them—all the rooms my father doesn’t want me in.
“There you are,” says Adrien as we enter the dining room. “Viola, it’s time you met my business associates.” I almost hesitate when I see who the guests are. Gigi is positively full of glee as she seats me next to my father, opposite Graham ‘Griffin’ Baron and Kristian Vice.
Adrien introduces them both as though I’ve no fucking idea who they are. Best to play dumb. Adrien thinks all women are idiots, so it’s easy to fake.
Of all the fucking people to turn up.
On the far side of the table are three empty seats.
“Are we having more guests?”
“They will be joining us later,” Adrien assures as dinner is served. “I thought dinner would be more intimate this way.” Intimate indeed. The two people I’ve been wanting to be in the same room with—one to kill and one to recruit—have been handed to me on a plate.
Kristian flashes an evil grin at me. I’ve never met him, but I know who is because he looks exactly like an older, more serious version of Dino. Turquoise blue eyes, red hair, but there’s a faint silvery scar down one side of his face and hands are covered in rings. There’s definitely no dimple in his cheek.
He chuckles, licking his lips as he catches me studying him. “I’ve heard so much about you,” he says.
Griffin on the other hand is old enough to be my father. Dirty blonde hair, lightened with grey, dark brown eyes over a hooked nose. Again, I’ve never met him, but I know who he is. He’s well known in hitman circles for being a steady source of work. I just never linked him to my father until Dante showed me the files.
Griffin studies me just as intently as I study him, then he focuses on Adrien.
“Why am I here, Adrien? If you’re going to cut me loose do it fucking soon because I don’t have time for your bullshit.”
Kristian sniggers and I raise a brow and wait for Adrien’s reaction. Interesting. Griffin has balls after all. After he fled, I was beginning to think him a coward. But if he was, there’s no way he’d come into the lion’s den as alone as he is now.
Adrien smirks. “Straight to the point, Grif, as always. That’s what I’ve always liked about you. You’re here because with Ethan gone it’s time I got a new second-in-command.”
I shoot a glance at my father. I assumed he was going to promote Kristian. Not that I care. What he does is of no interest to me unless it has something to do with Rebecca. The buzzing under my skin itches to leave this damn place and go and find her myself. But Adrien won’t like me leaving. I’m not allowed to unless he gives consent. If I don’t play the good daughter—kill or fuck who he tells me to, the way he tells me to—Rebecca dies.
“And that’s me right, HB? I’m the one who’s been fucking loyal all these years,” snipes Kristian.