“It does not hold my interest, nor your mother’s.”
“Then I will work faster to ensure the matter is taken care of,” I said. I wasn’t a liar unless it was to him. I hated him. Loathed him. If he dropped dead at my feet, I wouldn’t waste the energy to step over his body. I’d turn and walk away as if he never existed. The same held true for my mother. If my father were a monster, then my mother was the devil.
Both of them could rot in hell. After I killed him, I’d go for her throat.
“See to it that you do,” he said gruffly. “You are certainly the worst of my children. Despicable and useless, as you always were. Dominic, at his young, tender age, would work miracles in your position.”
“Perhaps some day he will get the chance to please you,” I said softly, catching Alessio’s eye. He shook his head at me to let me know to relax before I dug a hole we’d all get buried in.
“I do hope for it soon, as you’ve been a disappointment to me your entire life. Have you not found a new wife? Created more children?”
“You know the answer to that,” I said.
“Yes, still hung up on the whore you bred all those years ago, I’m sure.”
I ground my teeth and looked away from Alessio, who took a step forward. Even Klaus narrowed his eyes in my direction, that smile he’d been wearing all day falling away.
“Are we done?” I kept my voice even.
He let out a wicked laugh. “Never, Matteo. But we can continue this later. I must feed.”
Of course, the vampire needed to eat. Probably some innocent human who happened along his path.
“Of course you do.”
“Find a wife, or I’ll find one for you,” he snapped at me. “I’ll fuck that whore as well and put a baby in her belly since you can’t even do that right.”
“Goodbye, Father,” I said calmly.
He didn’t reply. He simply disconnected the call.
I let out a long breath and stared out my window at my estate. I hated that man with every ounce of me there was.
“Teo?” Klaus asked.
“I’m fine,” I muttered. “He was only doing what he does best.”
“Antagonizing,” Alessio said. “You did well, brother.”
I grunted at that. I would hardly call that well. My patience had worn thin. Turning back to my friends, I saw Klaus was staring at his phone again. Alessio didn’t seem to notice as he cleaned his gun.
It was just as well. I’d let Klaus have his happiness for today. I would be inquiring about it soon, though.
Alessandro left that evening,looking sad and not wanting to talk. I didn’t like that he was hurting, but he closed himself off. His mother was like that, too. She would shut down on me and go silent when she was hurting.
I would try everything to make her smile, and sometimes she would. With Alessandro, he was no longer a small boy. Tickling him or telling him silly stories didn’t work like it used to. Instead, I stepped aside and let him go, citing that he could talk to me if he needed to.
Of course, I was not making matters better as I stood outside his fiancée’s door that night.
I hated that I was this way.
Breathing out, I pushed open Bianca’s door and stepped into the room. I expected to find her in bed since it was late, but instead she was sitting in the window seat, staring out at the night.
“Can’t stay away, huh?” she murmured, not bothering to turn to look at me.
I approached her slowly.
“I seem to be a glutton for punishment,” I replied softly, stopping next to her to look out at the dark gardens far below.
