“I don’t know.”
His hesitation’s so brief, and yet it stands out bright like a beacon. I want to push for the truth, a real answer, but I don’t. Whatever the answer is, he won’t tell me. Besides, I can’t do a thing with it right now. And if she really is dead, then I’ll never forgive him. I’ll find a way to destroy him and take down VMR. Somehow.
“But,” he adds, “I’m looking into it. As I told you before. Now eat.”
With that, he rises and leaves, making me want to hurl the bars at the door.
Inside me, the monster prowls, but to get out, to be the victor, it needs to do my bidding, so I eat the bars.
I couldn’t say how long I remain in here after Lucian’s visit, but when the door opens again, I’m standing, stronger than before, more centered.
It’s not Lucian.
It’s Vittoria. She’s in black, too, which makes her red hair stand out even more.
I scoff. “Great. Lucian sent his lap dog to bother me now? Pathetic.”
Vittoria flies across the room in a blurring rush of speed. Her hand fists in my shirt, and I hit the wall. Colors dance before my vision from the impact. She lifts me, feet dangling in the air, and I try to fight her, to peel her fingers away from the center of my chest where the bullet wound still stings, but she’s stronger.
She fixes a vicious glare on me. “I’m no one’sdog.”
“His go-fer, then.”
She shakes me violently, and the world spins. “Like you, Lucian is my maker, but don’t be fooled. I’ve always had the ability to leave him if I wanted to. IchooseLucian. And you? Ithink he’s a fucking fool. All that blonde hair and curls. The big sweet blue eyes. Those things might have fooled him. But they don’t fool me.”
“Put me down,” I snarl. “Or you’ll regret it.”
She only laughs. “He should have let you die. He wasted the gift on you.” Vittoria sets me on the ground, but she still doesn’t let go. “Hurt Lucian, or even attempt to, and I’ll kill you.For good.”
This time, she releases me.
I rub my chest. Fucking bitch.
When she turns to walk out the door, she pauses in the doorway. Without looking over her shoulder, she says, “Are you coming or not?”
Wait, she’s letting me out? “Where are we going?”
“To Lucian…and then we’ll see.”
She starts to stride farther away, leaving the door wide open, so I hurry to catch up and follow her down the narrow, dark hall to the elevator.
Lucian is in his office. His gaze crosses past me to Vittoria the moment we step inside. “Get things ready.”
“Are you sure about this?” She fixes her gaze on me. “The princess might be better left here.”
“This wasyouridea.” He snarls but doesn’t rise from behind his desk. “And now you’re having second thoughts? Go. Get things ready.”
She does a mocking curtsy before stalking out.
Now alone with him, silence surrounds us. So many things fly through my mind at once. Like how part of me still wants to jump him and ride his cock as he sits there behind his desk. And how another part wants to punch him in the face or tear into his wrist and drink the delicious and electrifying blood he gave me before.
But he jolts me out of all those thoughts when he says, “Take off your top.”
I blanch. “My top? Why? I’m not having sex?—”
“You think I want to fuck you, Monty? Like this?” He laughs softly. “Apart from the fact you’ve been through an ordeal these past few days, I’m not interested in fucking someone who’s covered in old blood.”
“Really?” The sarcasm is heavy.
