Chapter 9 #2
“If you don’t want a drink, there are other services our dear friend offers,” Aria says, her empty eyes sparking with an indecipherable emotion. “He’s a pretty good fuck, despite his frail appearance.”
Reece jerks, his already pale complexion whitening further.
I stare at Aria in disgust. “You can’t be serious.”
Aria focuses on her glass of whiskey, stirring the contents around in a way that almost seems nonchalant.
“I could always force you to fuck him,” she continues, making my blood chill.
Dom’s grip tightens on me, and he bares his teeth at her.
“Or I could make your precious boyfriend fuck one of our girls. He would, you know. If it meant protecting you. I don’t think he would hesitate to stick his dick inside some cheap bitch’s pussy if he knew it would keep you alive. ”
Nausea scorches my throat, and bright spots dance across my vision.
No. No. No. No.
“Would you do it, Dominic?” Aria tilts her head to the side as she eyes Dom up and down. “Would you fuck one of Ellie’s cute little friends if it meant saving her life? Would you eat Jane’s pussy? Stick your dick in Victoria’s cunt? Play with Piper’s nipples—?”
“You sick fucking bitch!” I roar, my rage spilling out of me in a tsunami of emotion. I lunge toward her without thinking, without consciously articulating a plan. All I know is that she needs to fucking die.
Arms grab me from behind. “Don’t,” Dom warns, his voice a breath of air by my ear. “She’s just trying to get a reaction out of you.”
“And it worked, did it not?” Aria’s lips twitch for a fraction of a second before compressing in a straight line. She waves a hand impatiently. “Reece, you’re dismissed. I need to have a word with my daughter.”
Reece’s eyes flash to mine at the word “daughter,” but he doesn’t comment as he hurries out of the room.
It occurs to me then, almost belatedly, that both Reece and the guards saw The Divine One without her mask. Which means…they know her identity.
How has it remained a secret for so long? Fear? Respect? I imagine it’s a combination of the two.
It’s terrifying to even comprehend. For one person to hold so much power…
Aria waits until the door shuts behind him before refocusing her attention on us.
“I won’t ask you to do any of that. Believe it or not, I’m not a monster.” She daintily brushes a strand of short hair behind her ear.
Anger thrums, white-hot and blistering. “You’re nothing but an evil, conniving, murderous bitch who will get what’s coming to her."
The change is almost instantaneous. One second, Aria is sitting there, her expression serene, and the next, she’s on her feet, rage darkening her eyes.
She slams her hands down on the table and leans forward slightly, spearing me with a look I’ve never seen before.
Each word she speaks is clipped and concise.
“Listen to me, Ellie. I can make things very, very difficult for you and the people you love. Do not test me. I’ve been lenient so far.
I’ve let you play your silly little games and allowed you to be the heroes of this so-called story.
I’ve made it incredibly easy for you to find the men who purchased you.
You want to know why? Because I wanted them killed.
All of them were thorns in my side, and you eliminated them for me.
For that, I thank you. But I’m done fucking around and playing games.
You are my daughter, my rightful prodigy, and this story will only end one way—with you and your brother standing at my side.
We can do this the easy way or the hard way, so don’t fucking test me.
I will torture everyone you care about until you’re putty in my hands.
I will force you to watch the men you claim to love fuck other girls.
I will make you fuck other men. And that will only be the beginning. ”
She’s panting heavily by the time she’s done with her little speech, a red flush erupting from the top of her forehead to her cheeks.
Her hands clench and unclench on the table before she forces them to relax, her fingers straightening.
She sucks in a deep breath, the noise ragged, then slowly reclaims her seat.
“I don’t know if I ever sent my condolences on the death of your…
friends,” she continues, her voice significantly calmer than it was before.
“Ryker and Landon, correct? It’s a shame what happened to them, but hopefully you understand the seriousness of this situation.
” She smooths out invisible creases on her cloak.
I study her face carefully, searching for any signs of duplicity. We’ve kept the truth of their survival a secret, but it’s apparent Aria has eyes and ears everywhere. Is it possible she doesn’t know they’re still alive? We’ve been hoping that’s the case, but honestly, we weren’t sure.
Needles drive repeatedly into my brain, and my heart pounds even faster.
Could this be the ace up our sleeve we’ve been missing? If she doesn’t know they’re still alive, then we can use that.
Use it to destroy her.
“Don’t fucking talk about them,” Dom snaps.
Aria’s lips curl slightly before straightening out. “Obviously, I want you to stay with me,” she says, continuing as if nothing has happened.
“Not fucking happening.” Dom shakes his head vigorously.
“I’ll allow your…boyfriends to stay as well.” Aria frowns briefly. “I told you. I’m not a monster. If you dance for me, I’ll allow your boyfriends to dance with you, unharmed and relatively happy. But if you refuse—”
“You don’t have to threaten me again,” I bite out. “I understand.”
“Do you?” She cocks an eyebrow.
Fear punctures my heart. I have no idea what to do, what to say. We planned for hundreds of worst-case scenarios, but none were anything like this. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe Aria would claim I was the long lost, reincarnated goddess and offer me a place at her house.
“Ellie…” Dom’s voice is low, but I’m not sure if he’s pleading with me to accept her deal or decline it.
We both know there’s no choice.
“Fine,” I tell Aria, the beginnings of a plan forming in my head. “But I want Dom, Beckett, and Zane with me.” They won’t let me do this otherwise.
“Done,” Aria agrees briskly.
“And no harm will come to them,” I continue.
“They won’t be forced to do anything they don’t want to do.
The second something like that happens, this whole deal is off.
I’ll fight you every step of the way. You won’t be able to even sleep at night, because I’ll be there, in the shadows, with a knife, just waiting for you to let your guard down. ”
“You do what I say, and it won’t come to that,” Aria promises me.
She extends a hand, still bedecked in gloves, and I take it.
Aria’s lips stretch in a smile that makes my blood turn to ice. “You know, when I first met you, I thought you were weak. Spineless. Useless.” She doesn’t release my hand as she cants her head to the side. “But maybe we’re more alike than I thought.”
“I’m nothing like you,” I hiss.
Her grip tightens. “No?” A mirthless laugh escapes her.
“We’re both murderers, are we not? And we’d both do anything to protect the people we love.
” She tugs on my hand slightly, forcing me forward, my knees banging against the desk.
“By the time I’m done with you, Ellie, you won’t even recognize yourself.
That’s not a threat. It’s a promise.” Those pale, unyielding eyes glimmer with a suppressed emotion. “I’m excited to get started.”