Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76572 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76572 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
He shakes his head. “No, if I touched one of the twins, there would have been a firestorm considering what the lovely Andrea has already endured at my family’s hands. The others…well…you each have your own weaknesses.”
“What’s mine?”
The corner of his mouth twists in some sort of macabre smile. “I don’t intend to show you my hand so soon, Ivan. Play with me a little longer, and maybe I’ll give you a few of my secrets.”
He can’t be much older than Adrian, but he speaks as if he’s eighty. The cadence and verbiage grating in how much they aren’t quite right. Not to mention my patience has never been something to boast about.
“So you want me to do what? Talk to Adrian about peace between us? To do that, you’re going to have to let me out of here. Then you’re going to have to convince me it’s worth the effort, considering how you’ve treated and drugged me for days. Not the best tactic to get someone to speak on your behalf.”
Again, he looks completely unconcerned. “No, I’m not worried about that. I have ways to manage if you decide to become unreasonable. Right now, I’d like to attempt a negotiation before I resort to more permanent methods.”
I don’t even want to know what the fuck he means by that. I shrug, tingles running up my arms into my cramped shoulders. “Then negotiate. You’re going to need something I want first, and there’s nothing here I want but blood staining my hands.”
“There is one thing I can offer you. Something I think you want very badly. For what? I can’t say. But she’s useless to me, so fuck her, kill her, rip her apart piece by piece if that is your will. I don’t personally care about whatever path you take. It’ll just mean more cleanup.”
I may want to murder every single one of these bastards, but I’m not idiot enough to do it where they can videotape me and use it to their advantage later. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He leans over on his knees, his face now strangely animated, his eyes bright. “My daughter, Ivan. I offer you my daughter in exchange for your vow that you’ll speak to Adrian on my behalf.”
The door opens behind Arthur, and a guard hauls her into the room. She’s wearing nothing but a skimpy white thong and a matching bra. By the bruises on Cilla’s skin, she didn’t volunteer for this assignment.
I hate the purple marks against her creamy pale flesh. I jerk at the restraints, no doubt adding fuel to Arthur’s belief in my desire for her, but I don’t care.
Arthur turns and waves at the guard, who gives Priscilla a shove forward and leaves, the door closing heavily after him.
“Daughter Mine, come here and be reasonable. You do this to keep us all safe. If you don’t, well, Ivan’s friends are going to firebomb our home out of existence.”
I give him a gleeful smile at the idea and let him see how much I want to be the one holding the torch.
Priscilla takes a few steps forward, her long blond hair swinging down her back to swish along her trim waist. It once again highlights the bruises on her skin. I scan up to her face, and rage rushes through me in a white-hot blast.
She has blood dripping down her chin from a split lip and bruises at her temple and on the right side of her face. She’s wearing makeup, but I can see the discoloration even in the dim overhead lighting.
Arthur gives her a little push toward me until I can touch her ankles with my feet. I wrap my lower legs around her and tug her closer until my face is almost in line with her belly. Just the scent of her calms the anger spitting and raging through me. Enough that I can think a little bit more clearly. “Who hurt you, Malyshka?”
She whimpers as I lean my forehead into her soft skin. “No one. I’m fine. It was an accident.”
The excuse of a woman accustomed to lying to protect herself. To protect others who don’t deserve it. “Don’t fucking lie to me. Say anything you want. I don’t give a shit, but don’t fucking lie to me.”
She whimpers, and I lean back again so I can look up into her face. Her makeup around her eyes is smudged from tears, and I want to murder everyone all over again.
“Well…” Arthur stands behind Priscilla. “I’ll leave you alone to take your payment. Then we shall discuss this deal some more.”
He leans close enough that I can almost reach out and grab his skin in my teeth. But he’s gone in a heartbeat, and it takes a minute to realize he cut the zip tie holding one of my hands.