39. Anastasia #3
“After Alister fell through, my next option was to set you in the sights of Jacob Forthson. Alistair’s biggest rival.
I knew he had a trafficking auction coming up and I told him I could make sure you were there and plant the sum of money he could garner from you.
Of course, you wouldn’t have come for me, so I had to make Liam get you there.
You were the grandest prize all along, Anastasia.
You sat in that casino unknowing of the fact you were being watched, devoured, around so many patrons who became desperate for you.
Some were ready to sell all their assets just to afford you.
The twisted part? Some even wanted both of you, only to have Kaiser watch as they fucked you and then make you watch as they killed him.
But I watched so many bid for you and I couldn’t stand the thought.
You were always supposed to be mine, Ana.
I thought I could live with having the next best thing when Nina was taken, and when I couldn’t afford her, I told Lanshall I could work for him for her. ”
My head is shaking. Everything I know of the world and life around me feels like a lie. A twisted, horrible lie.
“Does Liam know?” I dread to ask.
“Not everything. He knows who I am, what I’ve done. He knew about the goings-on at the Gala, but not exactly why I wanted you there. He thought it was to get Kaiser.”
It’s part relief, part absolute agony, to find out Liam isn’t entirely innocent. Yet I want to reserve judgement from him. Just until I hear it from him as he looks me in the eye.
“Why me?” I breathe. Oh god. He kept Nina all this time because of me.
“I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you.
I can’t explain it, only that you’re perfect for me, yet you would never see it.
I tried to treat Nina well, but she had a spitfire personality that had to be broken.
I would have taken her out of state eventually, but I stayed because I couldn’t leave you.
Even if I only got to watch you from afar and see you when Gregory saw you.
I thought I’d have the strength to leave you for good.
Then everything changed. It seemed so perfect, like fate had a plan for us after all and my patience was about to be rewarded.
My father would be president and the country would mourn the tragic death of Archibald Kinsley and his beloved daughter. ”
Matthew comes close to me, and I can do nothing but sit now, disgusted by the hand he reaches up to my face.
“It doesn’t have to end entirely like that though,” he says tenderly. He has to be fucking insane as well as sick. “If you agree to be mine, I won’t have to hide you away. You can still come with us to the White House. I can pay off my debt for you to Jacob and we’ll be happy.”
My hands plant on his chest and I push him with a cry of anguish. Slipping off the island stool, I’m seconds from pulling my gun.
“I rejected you all those years ago. Most would take the fucking hint, you twisted bastard.”
His hand connects with my cheek with enough force to snap my head to the side and make tears well in my eyes. Then I see white.
Reaching behind myself for the gun, I gasp when fingers close over mine and an arm pulls me into a firm body. My gun aims at Matthew by another’s hand.
“Always knew there was something slippery about you.”
It’s Adam.
He aims lower, and a short scream leaves me at the sudden ringing of a gunshot followed by Matthew’s wail of agony.
Gregory swears, and I can do nothing but clutch Adam’s forearm still pinned around me as we swivel. My heart stops at the barrel pointing to my head in Gregory’s hand.
“You don’t want to lose her this way,” Adam warns. “I’d kill you before your bullet hit her.”
“You have no idea what you’ve done, stupid boy,” Gregory hisses.
“Perhaps not, but it felt fucking good.”
I have no idea what the fuck is happening. Why Adam is here and risking his life to save me.
Matthew is still groaning, his face panic-stricken, and my stomach churns at the amount of blood pooling from the wound on his leg.
“What is the plan now?” I ask him, having no choice but to put my faith in the only person who seems to be helping me when before now I would have put money on Adam Sullevan enjoying this twist of fate.
“Honestly, I didn’t really think that far ahead.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“I’ve had my suspicions about that asshole for a while. Even when we dated, his fixation on you was creepy, and you were totally oblivious to it.”
I cringe at that. Matthew has always been around, but how was I to sense anything like the depravity that lies beneath his skin when Liam is one of my best friends? I couldn’t see his brother being capable of this.
“Do you know where Liam is?” I ask.
“He’s been missing for about a week, actually,” Adam answers. “Because when I found out what Matthew was up to, my first thought was to check if Liam was in on it too, but I haven’t been able to track him.”
“My son always had a weak heart,” Gregory spits. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he found out himself and decided to cower from it all instead of look you in the eye and show you the bloodline he comes from.”
“He’s not like you,” I say with the confidence that returns to me in defense of him. “He’s always been afraid and disgusted by you, and I’m only sorry to him I never pushed to know why.”
“He’s a worthless boy who flees at the first sign of responsibility.”
“He’s a better man than you could ever be.”
“I’m all for team Liam,” Adam drawls. “But right now we need to get the hell out of here.”
“Nina’s headed for my father.”
“I intercepted her outside. She’s safe. Your father won’t know any of this.”
I don’t know how we’ll take down the Forbes later, but right now all that matters is getting out of this house alive.
“No one is going anywhere,” a new voice cuts in, smooth like the shadow he emerges from.
Familiar. So dauntingly familiar that I wish I was wrong—until the sleek hair of dark blond catches my sight.
Jacob Forthson reveals a wicked dimple with his smile. He strolls into the kitchen as if he’s wandering into a summer party, looking down on the quivering Matthew Forbes like he’s the disappointing entertainment.
“There are two ways to pay off debt, darling. And with what he owes me for you, I don’t think I’ll ever be seeing it in bills.”
I don’t get to blink nor take a breath, because Jacob moves so fast I don’t see the gun he produces until a ringing fills my ears with the firing of a bullet that shocks me still.
“So blood it is.”