Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 148397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
Rachel pursed her lips as we shared a look.
Tension crackled in the room.
Henri sat straight, his motions deliberately slow. “That’s wrong. You know my brother has a son. You heard on the phone, same as me.”
“Oh yes, I heard. Lino. It’s true, but…it won’t be for long.”
My heart skipped a beat.
No…
I didn’t even know these people, but the thought of Victor going after them. Going after Henri’s nephew.
God, I’m going to be sick.
When Henri didn’t reply, Victor grinned. “Your brother managed to keep that piece of information quiet. He knew it would paint the biggest target on his back.” His eyes glinted. “At least Q won’t be an issue for you soon.”
Henri stopped breathing. His voice came out like dry ice. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I used his ultimate weakness against him. I heard his wife was stolen early on in their relationship, and it almost destroyed him.” His smile was utterly inhuman. “So...I went after his child.”
The plate of untouched food slid off my lap and tumbled all over the white carpet.
Victor sniffed with annoyance. “God’s sake, clean that up. If that carpet stains, I’ll skin you to replace it.”
My pulse roared in my ears.
I couldn’t move.
“Now, Ilyana!” Victor roared, bypassing my shock and electrifying my limbs.
Darting to my feet, I charged into the marble-tiled bathroom, grabbed an armful of towels, dumped one into the sink to soak with water, then raced back to the mess on the floor.
Henri scooped up the food and placed the plate on the coffee table. Without a word, he wiped his hands on the wet towel and then sat back on the couch.
His entire system had shut down.
No energy bled through.
No hint of what he felt.
Scrubbing at the carpet, I kept my eyes on him. He shrugged as if he didn’t care. “You’ve killed his son?”
“Not yet.” Victor sighed. “My team has finally tracked down where he goes to school. They’re on their way to grab him now, actually. Once Q goes after them, well…let’s just say his wife will be a childless widow, and in all fairness, you should inherit the Mercer estate. I can see if my lawyers could arrange that if you’d like? Last I heard, he was worth over a billion euros.”
My hands stilled.
Victor cocked his eyebrow in warning.
I kept scrubbing.
Finally, Henri reclined and exhaled as if he’d given up every last piece of himself. He looked exhausted—as if he couldn’t keep doing this dance. The vacantness in his grey eyes terrified me. The coldness wafting from his body dusted the air with frost. “It’s fine. Let his wife have the estate.”
“You’re far too good a brother, even now.” Victor pouted. “You know, mon ami. It hurts me to see you ostracised even amongst your own kind. You’re desperately lonely, and I understand now that I shouldn’t have left you alone for so long. You’re unhappy, and seeing as you’re quickly becoming my only true friend in this world, I did this for you, don’t you see? I figured out a way to prevent your brother from killing you the moment you’re off my island. Next time I travel, you can come with me. Won’t that be nice? In fact, Rachel and Ilyana can join us. Just the four of us…or five, depending on due dates.”
He gave Rachel a doting look before glancing at Henri. “I know you’ll feel guilty that your brother and nephew will soon be dead, but you shouldn’t. He failed you, and you deserve better. You have my word that I’ll always look out for you. As long as you are loyal and honest with me, we can have differing opinions and agree to disagree. I want you to be yourself, Henri. How many of your past acquaintances can say that? How many people have you had to hide from? Do you even know how to be yourself?” He shook his head kindly. “Even now. Even after the opportunity to become who you truly are, you continue to fight it. You’re not well, my friend, and it’s an honour to be the one to help you because you need looking after.”
Victor’s voice tinged with passion, not giving room for anyone else to speak. “Before you came along, I had no such nurturing instincts. To be honest, I despise most people—my guests included—but you…you remind me so much of me at your age that I catch myself remembering those days when I too had no one. The days when I could barely get out of bed because the heavy weight of depression refused to let me breathe. I’ve skimmed enough of the camera footage to see those same sufferings in you. It doesn’t seem as if you’ve indulged in pleasure since I left. You’ve barely eaten. You write feverishly, yet there’s nothing to show for it on your computer. You’re breaking beneath what you think you should be and what you truly are, and I need you to listen to me because I’ve been there. I was you. I hated myself for the longest time. I even feared myself and yes, I made myself sick with the urges in my blood. It wasn’t until I became accepting of my truth that I found happiness.”