Because I have to get out of here before someone figures out what I’ve been doing, and I’m not leaving without my brother or Corinne.
Until I figure out what I’m going to do, I have to play good daughter who’s following the rules, even when I want to slit my father’s throat.
When I look up, ready to run to my room and find some space to think, I realize that I’m in even more trouble than I realized.
Because everyone who was in the garden is now in the foyer, and they’re all staring at me.Probably because I just came running out of the servant’s stairwell like someone is after me with a knife.
Or like I just discovered prisoners in the basement.
I stop so suddenly that Simon should run into me, but he doesn’t, and when I glance over my shoulder I realize he’s disappeared like smoke in the fucking wind.
Honestly, I’m not even surprised by that.The man is an outlaw and a low-level crook.He’s the least trustworthy person I’ve ever met.Aside from my own father–who, now that I’m looking, isn’t standing with everyone else.I see Samantha and a bunch of his guards, but no Dominick Landry, and I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad one.
I don’t exactly want him to see me coming out of a set of stairs I’m not supposed to be using.But he seems to have an almost manic need to support me, lately, and that’s come in handy on more than one occasion.Particularly when I run into people who don’t like me.
Like Samantha Duhon.
She looks me up and down now like she’s disappointed in everything about me, and I stretch myself up, seeking strength in the fact that I’m at least a foot taller than her.
“Samantha,” I say smoothly.“I didn’t realize you were here.”
“I’m always here,” she replies, her voice just as smooth.“Your father actually called me to the mansion.He wants us to coordinate your first collection experience.Says he’d like you to choose the target personally.”
Choose the target personally.
Awesome.That’s exactly what I want to do: Go out there and choose a girl to kidnap.Having Samantha there will make it even more fun.I bet she’s a ball of laughs on road trips.
“Of course,” I say.“When shall we start?I’m rather busy tonight, but perhaps tomorrow.”
I see the shock cross her face at my words, and have to stifle my smile.She thought I’d back down or let her dictate when we were going out, but she doesn’t know me.
Obviously she doesn’t realize that I never back down from anyone.
She collects herself quickly, schooling her expression to something more stern, and nods once.“I’ll be here at 9 sharp.”
She turns on one tall heel and marches toward the door, the men following her, and I nearly sag with relief.
Christ, I hate that girl.One of the best things about leaving my father’s house behind is going to be getting rid of her.In the meantime, though, I have planning to do.I want the quiet of my bedroom and a pad of paper, so I can start writing down everything I know.I’m tempted to take the servant’s staircase upward, but head instead for the main stairs, thinking the house is now empty and safe.
I’m caught off-guard when I hear the shouts coming from my father’s office.
Moments ago, the space was quiet, but now someone is screaming in a language I don’t understand.
Though I do recognize it.
I’d recognize those harsh consonants anywhere.
Russian.
The voice is deep and booming, harsh and commanding, and my flesh crawls at the sound of it as though my body knows he means dangers.I can’t understand a word he’s saying but it doesn’t matter.My nervous system recognizes danger when it hears it, and the man doing the screaming is furious about something.
When he switches to English, I learn why.
“A breach in security!”he shouts.“How the fuck could you be so stupid?No guards on the warehouse!No cameras!You didn’t even have security on the inside!Hundreds of thousands of dollars, down the drain!And the girls here, don’t get me started on the girls in your basement!”
“I cannot have cameras, I’ve told you that!”my father shouts back.“The risks of having something like this on camera–”
“So you have no proof of anything!”the Russian shouts, his voice drowning out my father’s.“You have nothing to tell you what’s happening to these girls!”
