11. Theodore
11
THEODORE
T he meeting is over, but the weight of it still lingers.
As I get ready to step into the house I share with my brothers, tension winds through my muscles like a coiled spring. After the phone call I had with Julian earlier, I have no idea what I’m walking into, but I know better than to expect peace.
The scent of burnt wood and old books lingers in the air as I shut the door behind me. The house is quiet, save for a buzzing cutting through the silence.
I follow the sound into the living room, where Julian is seated on one of the leather armchairs, a tattoo machine humming in his hand. His wrist is braced against his knee, steady despite the fresh ink bleeding into his skin.
I scoff. “ Are you serious?”
Julian doesn’t even glance up. “ Needed to relieve some stress.”
He dips the needle back into the ink, dragging it through his skin with precision.
I fold my arms, eyeing him. “ Since when do you need to relieve stress?”
He exhales through his nose. “ Since Isabel started driving me insane.”
That makes me pause. It takes a lot to shake Julian , and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen him lose his composure. If she managed to rattle him, she must have really outdone herself.
I tilt my head. “ Where is she?”
“ Locked her in the basement.”
Ah . So that’s why I can’t hear her.
I don’t say anything; I just turn on my heel and make my way down the hall, descending the narrow staircase to the basement. The moment I slip the key into the lock and twist; all hell breaks loose. The door swings open, and Isabel’s voice crashes into me like a hurricane.
“ You sick bastards! You think locking me up is going to break me? Try harder! ” Her voice is raw, like she has been yelling for hours. “ I swear to God , the second I get out of here, I’m burning this whole damn place to the ground!”
I lean against the doorframe, taking in the sight of her—wild-eyed, pacing like a caged animal, fists clenched at her sides.
“ Well , well. You’re feisty tonight.” I drag my gaze over her. “ Guess I should be flattered. You missed me that much?”
I barely have time to register the shift in her stance before she lunges.
Her fist connects with my face, knocking my head to the side with the force of it. A sharp sting blooms across my lip, the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth.
For a second, all I hear is my own breath as I straighten. I lift my hand, swiping my thumb over my lip, feeling the warm, wet smear of red.
Isabel stumbles back, shocked, as if she can’t believe she actually did it. For the first time since we took her, she’s quiet.
She’s scared.
A slow grin spreads across my face. I press my thumb past my lips, tasting the sharp tang of my own blood, my eyes locked onto hers the entire time.
“ Oh , you really messed up, Siren .”
Her fingers twitch at her sides like she wants to hit me again, but she doesn’t. She holds still, her mouth parting like she might say something, but nothing comes out.
Something dark and hungry stirs inside me at the sight.
That brief moment when she doesn't know if she should fight or flee, when the fire in her eyes dims, just for a second, before she smothers it with sheer will.
I take a step forward, and she instinctively takes one back.
Interesting .
I lick my lips, letting my gaze drop to her mouth before dragging it back up to meet her eyes. My pulse is steady, but something low in my gut tightens at the memory of her fists, the sharp crack of pain that came with it.
“ Nothing to say?” I taunt, taking another step, watching her throat bob as she swallows. “ That’s a first.”
Isabel backs up until her shoulders press against the cold stone wall.
There’s nowhere to run.
She’s still breathing fast, her chest rising and falling in shallow bursts, but she hasn’t broken eye contact. Her defiance burns bright, refusing to be snuffed out. I take my time, tilting my head, watching her.
“ Kneel .”
Her body tenses. “ Go to hell,” she quivers.
I expected as much.
“ I’ll ask again.” I take a step closer, keeping a few feet between us. “ Kneel .”
Her chin lifts. “ No .”
My jaw ticks. I shouldn’t be surprised, but something about her stubborn refusal sets a slow, simmering heat in my blood. She’s playing a dangerous game.
My hand shoots out, fingers tangling in her hair as I yank her down. She gasps, her knees hitting the floor with a sharp thud . Her hands fly up, gripping my wrist, nails scratching at my skin as she hisses in pain. She twists, trying to break free, but I tighten my grip, forcing her head back so she has no choice but to look up at me.
A flash of uncertainty washes over her eyes.
Good .
“ You want to rethink that answer, Siren ?”
Her jaw clenches, her lips pressing into a thin line. She tugs at my grip again, stubborn even now. Stupid girl.
“ You just don’t learn, do you?”
I bring my hand down in a sharp strike. The impact is instant as my palm connects with her cheek, snapping her head to the side. A gasp leaves her lips, and a flush of deep red blooms across her skin.
She stays still for a moment, her breath uneven, her lashes fluttering as if stunned, but there’s no fear in her eyes.
Instead , her lips part and her pupils widen—just a little too much.
My fingers flex around the strands of her hair as I tip her face back up, forcing her to meet my gaze.
Isabel stares at me, then, like a true little menace, she spits at my feet.
I let out a short laugh, but there’s no humor in it, only disbelief.
“ God , you’re a fucking brat.”
I slap her again, harder this time.
Her head snaps to the side, her chest heaving, and when she finally lifts her eyes back to mine, her lips are curled into the faintest hint of a smirk.
She fucking likes this.
She’s taunting me now, daring me to keep going.
I drag my knuckles over her swollen cheek, feeling the heat radiating from where my palm met her skin. My pulse is steady, but deep down—underneath all the control— I know exactly what’s happening.
She’s getting off on this. And the worst part?
So am I .
I let the silence stretch before finally speaking. “ Are you finally going to behave?”
Isabel lets out a sharp laugh. “ Go fuck yourself. I’d rather die than respect scum like you.”
I sigh. “ You really don’t know when to quit.”
Before she can blink, my hand moves again, faster this time. The slap lands hard. A sharp hiss rushes through her teeth, and when she looks back at me, there’s renewed heat in her eyes.
I drag my tongue over my teeth, my jaw flexing. As much as I’d love to unzip my slacks and push my cock in her pretty mouth, putting it to better use, I remind myself she’s dealing with the new head of Vanguard now. This isn’t a game anymore. I deserve respect.
And she’s going to give it to me.
I release her, stepping back. For a moment, she doesn’t move, blinking in confusion. I move across the room, opening a drawer and pulling out a thick iron chain. When I turn back, her eyes are wide.
“ W - Wait ,” she stammers. “ Don’t —please. You don’t have to do this. Please .”
I smirk, letting the chain dangle between my fingers, enjoying the way her breath shudders. “ You beg so prettily, my siren.” I tilt my head. “ Shame it’s not for my cock.”
She stumbles back, but there’s nowhere to go. I close the distance, catching her wrists and securing them together.
Her skin is warm beneath my fingers, her pulse frantic against the metal binding her. She shakes her head, struggling, but she’s not getting out of this.
I grab a chair and force her down onto it. The chains rattle as I fasten her in place, looping them tight against the wooden frame.
I crouch beside her, dragging a knuckle along the line of her jaw. “ Until you learn to respect me, you’re staying right here,” I murmur, letting the promise settle between us. “ Unless , of course, you decide to cooperate.”
She swallows hard, her throat bobbing. “ Cooperate with what, exactly?”
I pace the room as Isabel flexes her wrists against the restraints. She’s testing them, but she won’t get far.
“ We need your assistance.”
“ Assistance ?” she repeats, wary.
I nod. “ You work for The Black Quill . That makes you valuable.” I stop pacing and look down at her. “ We need a series of articles exposing our dear father for what he really was. Corrupt . A man unworthy of the power he wielded.”
She scoffs, shifting in the chair. “ And you think I’d help you with that?”
“ I think you’ll see reason.”
“ Destroy my integrity for you ? Get involved in whatever bullshit this is? Not a chance.”
Her defiance doesn’t surprise me one bit.
“ This isn’t just about your father, is it?” she adds, tilting her chin up. “ I know the Vanguards had something to do with Camila’s murder.”
I can see it in her face the second she realizes her mistake.
“ You know about Camila ?” My voice is almost curious, but I see the way she shrinks just a little, like she wants to take it back.
I let the silence stretch just long enough to make her squirm before I laugh.
“ I know you’ve been digging, Isabel . You and your dear friend Valeria . How do you think she found those monitors in the basement in the first place?” I grin. “ I led her straight to them.”
Isabel stares at me, processing my words.
“ The plan was always for us to eliminate Lionel ,” I continue, stepping closer. “ But lucky for us, Valeria and my long-lost adoptive sister did it for us.” I crouch in front of her, my hands on my thighs. “ So now, we shift gears.”
Isabel’s face twists in confusion, her brows knitting together. Something about my words isn’t clicking for her. “ Camila is dead.”
I smirk. “ Is she?”
She blinks, trying to process. “ She’s alive ?”
I click my tongue. “ Oh , Isabel , you’ve missed so much while you were gone.”
Her expression snaps from shock to fury in an instant. “ Fuck you. Why did you kidnap me in the first place?”
“ It doesn't matter now.”
Her frustration builds. “ It does matter.”
“ No .” I stand to my full height. “ It doesn’t.”
She glares at me, but she’s not just mad—she’s desperate. She wants the truth, and I’m enjoying making her wait.
I ignore her request and continue pacing the room.
“ Now that I’m head of Vanguard , I need to ensure the council is on my side.” I glance at her over my shoulder. “ Unfortunately , they still see Lionel as this great, honorable leader. A visionary .” My lips curl with disgust. “ But you and I both know the truth, don’t we?” I exhale sharply, turning to face her fully. “ I want the world to see him for what he really was. A fraud. A monster. A man who built an empire on blood and shadows.” I step closer, tilting my head. “ And you, reporter , are going to help me do it.”
Isabel scoffs, rolling her eyes. “ Oh , so now you’ve grown a conscience, huh? What , just because your father’s dead, you suddenly care about right and wrong?”
I chuckle bitterly, invading her space, not giving her a moment to breathe. “ No , you’ve got it all wrong, Siren . I’ve always been a bad man. Nothing — nothing —will ever erase the blood on my hands.” I inch closer, my presence towering over her. “ Don’t mistake me for someone seeking redemption. I just want what I deserve .”
“ And what is that?”
I don’t hesitate. “ Recognition . My rightful place on the throne”