Chapter Twenty-Eight
In which the girls learn the true horror of interdependence.
Violet…
I punch him in the face.
Not a slap, a proper punch, with my knuckles angled just the way Roman taught me and it hits his cheekbone with a deeply satisfying crunch. Blood spurts from his nose as he staggers back three steps, shocked. I shake my hand out. It hurts like hell and feels so. Damn. Good.
"Oh, that was a mistake." Colin chuckles gutturally, wiping his nose.
Lifting my chin. I wait for the slap that I'm pretty sure is coming, though hitting that fucker in the face is worth it. I'm only sorry I couldn't flatten his nose. Instead of striking me, Colin stalks over to Rose and backhands her, hard enough to knock her off her feet as Iris screams.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I shout at him, racing to Rose. Iris is helping her up, there's a red handprint already blooming on her cheek.
"Well, that looks terrible," Malcolm says disapprovingly. "My bride can't be all bruised up in the wedding photos. She needs to look perfect, my little doll."
"This is an important lesson that you will need to learn, and I suspect more than once," Colin says sternly. "When one of you misbehaves, you will not be the one punished. It will be one of your sisters. And it could be a far worse correction than what you would expect for what you've done.
"That's the true hell of uncertainty isn't it?
" Colin smiles, his bleached white teeth glimmering through the dim room like a Cheshire cat's.
"If you misbehave Violet, perhaps Iris gets belted within an inch of her life.
Or Rose darling, should you make an etiquette mistake at dinner - forgetting which fork to use, a small thing - but you might find out that Violet is then locked in her room and not allowed to eat for two days.
This is the beauty of an interdependent system.
It's so easy, really, because the three of you love each other so much.
It's rare to find that kind of fierce devotion. "
All the men smile at us benignly.
I am not leaving this country club prison until Colin is dead. Painfully, horribly dead.
Putting my arm around Rose, Iris on the other side, I'm nauseated by this hideous little tableau. Jack's in the corner, looking out the window with his one eye, busy pretending he's not in the room.
Then, there's Colin. Satan in khaki pants and a Loro Piana golf shirt. He's curling and uncurling his fingers like he's longing to cause some more pain. There's one last shot and I already know it's not going to work, but I try anyway.
"Jack," I say calmly, proud my voice doesn't crack. "Do you agree with this? Is this what you had in mind when you sold us off?"
"I didn't sell you!" He won't look at us, the cowardly fuck. "Your mother and I are looking out for your futures. I can't understand how you can be so unappreciative."
"You fucking asshole," Iris barely murmurs under her breath. "You twitchy, useless prick."
"Yeth," Rose says, the word a little distorted. She pokes her tongue out, she bit it when he hit her, and it's still bleeding.
He hurt my Rose.
Hate feels like fire, searing through me, burning sensible, responsible Violet to ash.
"Would you mind if I took my sisters back to our suite?" I say politely. "I'd like to take care of Rose's wound."
"Of course," Colin waves a gracious hand. "Just make sure you're dressed for dinner at eight. Afterward, we'll be having a casino night."
"Oh, I love those," Malcolm says happily. "I won fifty thousand from the house last time."
Jonas chuckles, carefully trimming a cigar before lighting it. "It's all well and good." He releases a noxiously pungent cloud of smoke, "Until you realize that the company is the house."
Colin opens the door and one of his burly jackholes walks in, moving behind us as we head towards the door. There's a sharp clearing of the throat.
"Is that how you leave the room?" Colin says, his voice drops to a level so frigid that it bites. His blue eyes are blank, like a snow scape.
Rage is strangling my throat, but I breathe deep and hold it. "My apologies. If you gentlemen would excuse us, we'll get ready for dinner." The words feel tight, stretched around my gritted teeth, but it seems to be enough for him.
We're led down a different hallway this time and I look for everything; hidden cameras, exit points. The black iron gate surrounding the estate is bristling with patrolling security men and cameras.
There's a way out, and I am going to find it.
When our bedroom door shuts behind us, both girls burst into noisy tears. Iris wails, "I can't believe he hit you that fucking bastard! He's –"
Gathering the two of them in a circle huddling with our heads together, I hiss, "I'm sure there's listening devices in here and most likely cameras.
We're going to have to write notes to communicate.
Do you understand? Like we're back in Catholic school.
" Both girls nod, our heads rubbing against each other.
I look at my sister's poor, swollen lip and my breath hitches painfully in my chest. "Rose honey, I…
oh, god I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me, I'm so sorry. "
"Thtop," she says thickly. "It'th not your fault."
"What do we do now?" Iris whispers.
"I know I saw some stationary in one of the dressers, find what you can so we can communicate."
"On it!" Iris says bravely, and we step back like it was a football huddle and someone just shouted "break!"
"First things first," I force a smile. "Rose, let's get your cheek looked after. Is your tongue still bleeding?"
"I don't think tho," she manages with a wince.
Someone knocks on the door, loud and impatient.
Opening it, I find our demon cruise director, changed out of her khaki pants into a decorous blue dress.
That plastic smile is not in place this time, as if it's been an unendurable torment, keeping it on her face and now she's deeply relieved to let it drop.
She's holding an ice bucket and some first aid supplies.
"From Mr. Ashford."
My lips stretch across my teeth in a way that is less congenial and more carnivorous. "Thank you." I force it out in my sweetest tone. "Please tell Mr. Ashford how deeply appreciative we are."
And then I shut the door in her face. It's the petty moments that will keep me going.