Page 76 of Vexatious Queen

Goosebumps rose all over my body. This wasn’t a simple show of strength. There was no showmanship in the way Eddie spoke to Vadin. He was serious and blinded by ghosts of his past.

Dean Henry sprinted toward the chaos as if he had just registered the same thing. A death on Wayward property put my father in danger as well.

That snapped me out of it.

I darted out from behind Liam and ran for my dad before he did something that would have the Curators seeking retribution.

“Ren,” Liam growled.

I felt him chasing after me, but didn’t stop until I reached my father. Liam grabbed my arm, and I turned to glare at him. He immediately let go, and I turned back to Eddie.

“Edmundo…please…” Vadin choked out.

“It’s Don Genovese,” my father snarled. “You lost the right to say my name when you broke your word to me.”

Vadin looked terrified. He reminded me of a bug pinned to a board by its legs.

Chaos erupted once more when the Wayward guards and a handful of Vadin’s men poured through the main entrance. Everyone had guns drawn. Holy hell, if they all started shooting, innocent people were going to die.

“Put your weapons away,” Dean Henry yelled, but no one moved. “Now! Or my next call will be to the Curators.”

The men hesitated but holstered their weapons. The tension in the air was so thick that it pressed in on my chest.

“Dad, stop.”

Vadin’s eyes darted to me.

“She’s…she’s your daughter?”

Vadin looked genuinely shocked.

“Yes, Lilya is mine, despite every vicious thing you did to try and stop Yuliana and me from being together. Lilya is a Genovese. She is my heir, and you’ll never come near my daughter again,” he declared, and everything went quiet.

Eyes snapped in my direction. But it was Vicky, standing at the front of the crowd, who stood out from the rest. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked at me like the ground had dropped out from under her. She turned and pushed her way out through the bodies.

My stomach sank.

Shit.

I grabbed my father’s arm.

“Dad, stop. Please don’t do this, not here,” I whispered. “Innocent kids will get hurt, and I know you don’t want that, as angry as you are with Vadin.” His jaw twitched. “The Curators will come for you and for me.”

His eyes stayed angry, but he dropped Vadin, who landed hard as he fell on his ass. Eddie towered over him, his body shaking with the rage he was trying to hold back. I stepped in front of him, and he glanced down at me. He sighed, like it was taking all he had to let this go, but finally stepped away.

“I didn’t know she was yours,” Vadin said, slowly getting up with Dean Henry’s help.

“Now you do. Come near my daughter again, and I’ll skin you alive,” Dad growled, his eyes trained on Vadin like a predator tracking prey.

Dean Henry walked over and placed his hand on Dad’s shoulder. I wasn’t sure if the act was meant to be comforting or a subtle threat. Heck, maybe it was both. He whispered in Dad’s ear before turning to the crowd watching the spectacle.

“All of you get back to class or wherever you’re supposed to be. Guards, escort Mr. Mikhailov safely from the property. Mr. Genovese’s men, get back to your vehicles, stay there, and don’t ever draw your weapons on Wayward property again,” Dean Henry commanded before he looked at me. “I need to speak to your father alone.”

There was a lot of grumbling and whispers as the onlookers slowly left. I didn’t care that people knew I was a Genovese, but it wasn’t supposed to come out like this.

Vadin straightened his suit and turned to me.

“It was lovely to see you again, my granddaughter,” he said, emphasizing the word my.