“You’ll arrange nothing,” he snarled. “I’m not paying a single fucking penny for her. What’s the point?”
“The point is that she’s family,” I bit out. “She’s your sister’s child. And she has done nothing to deserve this lack of care and mercy.”
“Exactly. She’s done nothing for me.” He grunted like he wanted to laugh more. “And she never will. She’s a sick excuse of a person and not my concern.”
I hate you!
I hate you with all my soul, you heartless asshole!
Clenching my fingers in a fist, I tried not to let loose on him. It wouldn’t help. Losing my temper and lashing out would only entertain him because he held the power, not me.
“No one’s coming to do a fucking home visit. And no one’s coming to move her to some expensive-ass facility.”
I ground my molars and breathed through the fury.
“Is that why you haven’t been sending me anything? Huh? I haven’t heard from you for weeks, you little brat. Weeks! Are you wasting all your time looking up hospices and not doing as I asked?”
“No.” I bit it out and fought the urge to scream.
“Nowhat, you stupid cunt?”
“No, I haven’t been too busy to do as you asked. There is nothing to tell you.”
“That’s a fucking lie.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and dared to cut him off from berating me any further. “Why can’t you let her go? Why can’t you let me move her to a place where she can be comfortable?”
He growled. “Why?Why?Because that’s the only hold I have on you. If I keep that stupid bitch here, you’re obligated to fucking listen to me. To do as I say.”
Leverage. That was all Esmeralda was to him.
I knew it. And I wasn’t a skilled actress to lie and tell him that I’d still spy for him if he let me get Esmeralda out of there. I’d lost the willpower to spy for him. I’d given up on caring about him at all. With my hopes to extract Esmeralda out of the hostage situation she was in, I’d wipe my hands of him.
“You won’t beat me,” I warned. “Not like this.”
“Oh, really? Fine, then I’ll just fucking kill her. How would you like that?” he taunted.
I blinked quickly and swallowed, forcing it past the thick emotions clogged there. “Fine. Go ahead. Let me say goodbye to her first.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“No, I’m not. She’s suffering. Maybe it would be more merciful to let her go, you bastard.”
He chuckled, and I knew my mistake was in letting him hear how furious I was. Hestillhad the power, the power to hurt me through her.
“Nah, I’ll call your bluff. But if you’re starting to get too cozy in that fucking Orlov place and you’re thinking about defying me, consider this, brat.”
I scowled, wondering if it was possible to hate him any more than I did.
“I found out about a new drug. I’ve been looking into diversifying my product. And wouldn’t you like to know they’re making a new treatment for sick wastes of space like your cousin?”
My mouth hung open. He could be lying, but if he wasn’t…
“A cure?”
“Sounds like it. If not a cure, something that makes them feel human.” He chortled.
“You’re aware of a new treatment and you would deny her the help she needs?” I asked.
