For a moment, I was selfish. Could it be possible after all this time? To live a normal life? To be free?
I couldn’t stop the overwhelming rush of gratefulness. The past couple of months in Nila’s company had been utter torture. She’d forced me to change—to grow—to look for other ways to exist.
But this...
What I held might be the end to all my problems.
“You believe them? That they’ll work?”
Cut shrugged. “We can only hope.” Picking up my water bottle, he held it out to me. “We won’t know until you’ve taken a course. Five a day, every few hours. Take more if you need to. Don’t worry about the side effects—not if you want to survive in order to keep Nila in your control.”
The threat was there—disguised as a helping hand but still an ultimatum. Drug myself and become everything he ever wanted, play puppet master with the life of the woman I was in love with, and carry out his wishes...or perish at his hands and have her subjected to Daniel’s murderous plans.
I hated all those choices.
“And you won’t let me leave? Disown me and give the estate to Kes?”
Then I can have Nila and live far away from here.
“No negotiation.” Cut crossed his arms. “You take the drugs and embrace your proper place, or you die and she lives a life of horror until her death. Your choice.”
I stopped breathing.
“Get that bitch out of your mind and heart, son. Take the drugs, find your way back, then we’ll see if you get to live.”
Could I be strong enough to obey Cut all the while double-crossing him by loving Nila? Could I last to my thirtieth birthday, so I could tear up the Debt Inheritance and eradicate it once and for all?
I have no choice.
I had to try.
I tipped a tablet into my palm and tossed it onto my tongue. Locking eyes with my father, I took a swill of water and swallowed the first drug of many.
Nila had my heart.
But my father had my very existence.
Chapter Seven
Nila
THE CAR ROLLED through the gates.
The tyres inched closer to the front porch.
The front door opened.
My brother appeared.
V.
Before I could take a breath and prepare, the car door was jerked open.
He hadn’t changed.
His black hair still fell roguishly over one eye. His body was fit and toned—wiry with model-perfect lines. He sported a slight beard—tight and dark—it made him seem like some modern day Robin Hood stealing me from the Hawks and returning me to my rightful place.
“V—” I wanted to say more, but my throat gave out. Tears spurted from my eyes.
