“The two men in the images…are,” he started and expected me to answer, but I think he already knew who they were.
“Um,” I squirmed in my seat, unsure if I should answer, then swallowed over a lump in my throat and answered, “Um, Lev and…” I mumbled Ezrah’s name under my breath, maybehoping he’d focus on Lev, the man holding me as he lowered me onto the big vibrator.
“Surnames?” he asserted, making me tremble.
I sighed, then confessed, “Lev Ashthorn and…Ezrah…Warwick.”
“Ezrah Warwick,” he leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “The son of the man who hired a hitman to kill me. His son?”
I nodded as fury rose, “I told you they were at Castlehill, and you didn’t seem to care.”
“Of course, I care,” he snarled, frowning in anger. “I tried to have you removed, but you said you couldn’t come home because of a police investigation.”
“The police have already interviewed me, and that’s why they gave me a special pass to come home for the weekend,” I argued back.
“What about the other son, Nicolae?” Maxwell squinted at the name Nicolae. Perhaps he had a reputation similar to his father's.
“I don’t have much to do with him, luckily,” I told my father truthfully. “He’s two years older, a senior.” I exhaled, trying to remain calm, even though I was so embarrassed, but he still hadn’t answered my question, “I know this looks bad, but why would someone send you these pictures?”
He tilted his head to the side and glared at me, “Why do you think, Adina? Give me your best shot of why a stranger would send me these private images of my only daughter fucking the son of my enemy?”
“We didn’t have sex, and they set me up to allow someone to take photos and…is someone blackmailing you?” It finally occurred to me because why else would they do it?
“Yes,” he clenched his teeth, and his jaw pulsated.
“With what? Money?” I assumed.
“A lot of money,” he replied bitterly.
“The bastard Warwicks? They set this whole thing up to blackmail you because you sent their father to prison. It all comes back to the conflict between you and him,” I exclaimed, trying to take the attention away from my crime, which I still felt embarrassed by.
Maxwell rolled his eyes and cringed as if in pain. “For God's sake, Adina, of all men, you chose the Warwicks? What the hell is the matter with you?” There were only a few times when my father was visibly distressed, and this was one of them. Normally, he kept his cool, steady, and decisive tone—always had a plan, king of his world—and rarely let anything bother him.
“Dad, I’m sorry,” I pleaded, “Please forgive me.”
“But why them?” he snarled hotly, then shook his head in disbelief, “Forget it. I don’t want to know.”
But I had to get something off my chest, “I told you they were there, so why did she,” pointing my thumb behind me, “send me there? I bet she knew. I bet she wanted me to be knocked off, so she could have you all to herself. Right? She’s getting closer to that inheritance, isn’t she?”
“Don't be ridiculous, Adina. She wanted you to go to Castlehill because she went there and thought you’d appreciate the high standards and-
“Far, far away in the mountains, practically in a whole different country,” I interrupted. “To get me out of the way.”
“Adina, you’re being silly,” he scowled, then exhaled. “The person who sent these pictures to me used the name Coffin.”
I snorted sarcastically, “Coffee? Jeez, that’s an intimidating name.”
“Not coffee. Coffin,” he growled. “Are your ears glued on?”
“No, I’m sorry I misheard, but…hang on, you don’t actually know if it’s the Warwicks?” I scrutinized.
“No, I don’t,” he was about to add something else, but stopped dead.
“So…what do we do now?” I asked, feeling responsible for the mess we’re in, even though I was clearly tricked by the Warwicks, which was damn annoying because it exposed me for being an easy prey. That’s not only embarrassing, but a failure on my part, considering who my father is.
“Youwill do nothing,” he ordered, leaning across the table to retrieve his iPad.
“What about Castlehill? Do I have to go back?” I was practically begging not to. “That place is hell. Please don’t send me back.”
