Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
“He’s doing a search for me to find connected cases. You might be able to help.”
“Holy fuck, you think this is a serial killer?”
“I don’t know anything yet. I’m just being proactive. For all we know this was a revenge killing. As in singular. I need to go. Call Tic Tac.” I disconnect and walk back in the office.
My father pushes to his feet. “Well?”
“They’ll hold off.”
He motions me forward, a conspiratorial look on his face. I sigh and cross the room, to stand at the side of his desk. “I crossed him. You’re right about that.”
He means Pocher, but he’s being cautious in case he’s recorded. “What about it?”
“He told me to check myself or he’d check me, a vague threat that didn’t feel vague after last night. The more I think about his potential involvement, the more I think it’s likely.”
“The good news for you is that I’ve been thinking about that, too. Him arranging last night I could buy into, but he’s invested too much into you to implode it all this soon. I wouldn’t rule it out in the future, but not now. You do know that when you aligned yourself with the likes of him that had far-reaching consequences. You’re not paying them now, but you will. If you want a way out, come see me, but you won’t like what you have to do to make that happen. Keep your mouth shut. I’ll handle the press.” I rotate and walk to the door, pausing to turn to face my father, “I am only your daughter. You’re a sperm donor and not my friend. But I can be an ally should you choose to make me one.”
With that, I exit the office, ready to get out of this suffocating house.
The only bright side of all of this is it seems to have castrated my father, but it might just be the death of him if he can’t live up to what the Society wants from him.
And it would serve him right. He didn’t want to break me the way Ghost tried to break him last night. He wanted me dead. Instead, he broke me inside and out, and what survived was the version of me I am now, and I don’t think he really understands the magnitude of that shift. I’ll use him to take down the Society, but he better not hold his breath in hopes that I will save him from his stupidity. That’s between him and God, when he’s dead and gone. As long as he walks this Earth, he’s evil incarnate, and I didn’t save him from Ghost because he’s my father.
I will kill him one day. Just not today.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Enrique is waiting on me when I step into the hallway.
“I take it you’re staying?”
“Shackled to your father is never-ending torture, but I get why and I’m here for it. And for the record, when your father hatched a plan to move to the governor’s mansion this morning, it was not about safety. He said it was, but it wasn’t. He’s all about the status. I told him we needed to let the election night buzz calm down first, stay here where we have well established protocols for safety. He agreed.”
“And did it anyway,” I assume.
“Exactly. I wasn’t worried about pulling my men to aid Kane when he was locked down here and I told him that before Kane got here. I also told him he better suck up to Kane or I’d be gone. I don’t know what happened when he talked to Kane, but I’m guessing he sucked up.”
More proof my father is not acting like my father right now. He doesn’t suck up.
Ever.
“Kit is with Kane?”
“Yeah. Kane left him in the car sleeping while he dealt with your father, but he’s with him.”
“Rough night.”
“Good night. Kane’s a badass. I never thought I’d see his father submit, but he made it happen.”
But as I say my goodbyes with Enrique and join my team in the SUV, the words “too easy” ring in my head. Kane’s father might have submitted to Kane, but something feels off. Kane felt it, too. Thinking back to our conversation, I sensed something off in him now I realize, and I think it was this. I pull out my phone and text Kane: I know you need to focus on your real job, but don’t let down your guard. You can control your father, but he’ll put up a fight when he’s over the booze binge.
I’m aware, bella, he replies. And that’s why I want you to keep Augustin with you. He’s highly skilled. And before you fight me, my father won’t risk being outnumbered like he was last night. He’ll come en masse. I need you to do this.
Okay, I answer. I’ll keep him with me.