35. Youre A Liar.And A Killer
CHAPTER 35
YOU'RE A LIAR...AND A KILLER
Paloma
The ground bounces several feet from my face. For a split second, I can’t remember where I am or why I’m hanging over someone’s shoulder. But then, it all comes rushing back. Archer is hurt. He needs me.
“Let me go.” I struggle against the hold Hunter has on me.
With long strides, he crosses the foyer. When I lift my head, I catch a few guests looking my way. They don’t even flinch. Let alone try to help me. I’m still dressed as a sub. As far as they are concerned, Hunter is my Dom and has the right to do whatever he wants, including carrying me against my will.
Who the hell are these people? How did Dad come to know a hundred people who are into sex parties with subs dressed like the black swan. How could I have been so blind for so many years? Dad is not the man I thought he was. He’s not honorable, decent or loving. I think I made all that up in my head. I clung to his image of a loving father because I was too scared to see the truth. But now that he has shown his true colors, I can’t go back to pretending we’re a perfectly happy family.
Hunter cuts through the dining room and heads straight to the kitchen. Somehow when he starts down the stairs that lead to the cellar, I manage to elbow him in the head. He lets go of me, and I drop the rest of the way, landing on my knees.
Pain shoots up my leg, and with it, a bunch of images flicker in my mind. A dark alley, a dirty dumpster, and the man with the angry face. It’s like my nightmares are taking over my mind. I know the dream well. It’s the same one I’ve had since I was little. I don’t remember a time when those night terrors didn’t wake me up in the middle of the night.
Over the years, Sole taught me how to put those images out of my mind. I do that now, picturing myself peeling every dark thought off a smooth surface then throwing them in an imaginary trash can. Once I finish the mental exercise, I can see clearly around me. I’m at the bottom of the stairs, right outside the cellar room. My knee throbs, but a quick body scan tells me I don’t have any broken bones or serious cuts.
When I look up, Hunter towers over me. Like the man with the angry face from my nightmares, he yanks me up and pulls me toward him. In the dim light, I can’t see his features, but I can feel his hot breath on me. I can’t believe I ever thought I had feelings for someone like him. How was he able to manipulate me so easily? Was my brother right in saying that I only fell for Hunter because Dad ordered me to?
Now I know I never felt anything for him. I craved his affection back then because I was lonely, because I needed someone in my life. But true love isn’t something that can be forced. Even after all those years I spent with him, I never truly loved him. Not the way I love Archer. What I feel for him transcends all logic. I love Archer with my whole being, beyond measure or reason. Archer is everything at once—love and hate, pain and pleasure, chaos and calm. He’s like a vast ocean with deep, profound waters that call to me.
I love you, Archer.
Even if he didn’t say it back, earlier when I finally uttered those three words, I know he loves me too. It’s why he came for me, why he risked his life to get me out of here. He loves me as much as I do him.
Archer, please don’t be dead. I don’t think I can survive any of this without you.
“Come on. Let’s go.” Hunter grips my arm tighter, brushing his lips over my cheek and the corner of my mouth.
“Don’t touch me.” I taste bile in the back of my throat.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. Our time will come sooner than you think.” Hunter presses his lips to mine so hard, myown teeth cut my bottom lip.
He pulls back, and I punch him in the face. “You disgust me. You shot Archer in the back, you fucking coward,” I scream at him.
“Shh.” He slaps his hand over my mouth, picks me up by the waist, and shoves me in the cellar room. “He had it coming. And you know that. Since he arrived, he’s been a thorn in my side. He took you from me. You were mine.”
“You didn’t have to kill him,” I yell at him. “And I was never yours. He’s going to come back for me. And when he does, he’s going to make you pay.”
“Enough.” Dad strides in and locks the door behind him. “What the hell happened?”
“You asked me to bring her back.” Hunter points at me. “I did what I had to do.”
“He killed Archer.” I launch at Hunter, punching and scratching.
“I said enough.” Dad grabs my arm and pulls me toward him. “Go make sure he’s dead and get rid of the body.” Dad’s cold voice sends a shiver down my spine. He waits until Hunter is gone, then turns to me. “I told you. You didn’t have to go back to that man.”
“Archer is my husband. And I love him. You can’t keep me here. He will come for me.” I wipe my cheeks then realize my hands are covered in his blood.
I glare at it as more bits and pieces of my recurring nightmare flicker in my head. It’s been so long since the last time I had any night terrors. But seeing Archer unconscious on the asphalt, bleeding to death, seems to have unlocked all those scary scenes from my dreams. The dark shadows and faces are becoming clearer and clearer.
“You’re staying with me and that’s final, Paloma.” Dad makes to leave.
“You don’t get to give me orders anymore. You’re a liar.” I glare at him with all the contempt I can muster. I hate him for what he did to Archer’s dad. He killed a man and stole everything from him. “And a killer.”
“What did you just say?” Dad stops with his hand on the door handle.
When he turns to look at me, shadows dance on his face, making him look menacing. This is the real him—a man willing to kill to appease his greed.
“I hate you.” Tears stream down my cheeks. “You killed his father. And for what?” I gesture toward the upstairs. “Money? Sex parties? What? What is more important than a human life?”
“Everything.” He raises his voice to a thunderous level that startles me. The fury in his eyes makes me take a step back. He prowls toward me. “You have no idea what it takes to survive in our world. You’re spoiled and fragile. You’ll never know what I’ve had to do to protect you.”
“I know what you did.” I swallow. “You killed Archer’s father. One day soon, you will answer for your crimes one way or another. Archer will make you pay.”
Dad slaps me hard across the face. I stumble back, but he grabs me by the hair and slams me against a rack of wine. Bottles tumble over and crash on the cement floor. The red liquid splatters everywhere along with shards of glass. More images from my nightmares flicker in my head. The wine inches toward me. I try to get away from it, but it still reaches my ballet shoes, staining them. My hands shake while I stare at all the blood.
“I gave you everything any girl could ever dream of—a first-rate education, the best tutors, the latest fashions, rare diamonds, a mansion.” He stops to inhale then yells in my face, “I made you the Swan Queen.”
“I never asked for any of it.” In truth, all I ever wanted was his love. I worked myself to the bone to be the best dancer for him.
“And this is the payment I get?” He points down at me and the mess around me as if the broken glass is my fault. “I am your father, Paloma. Do you understand? You will show me respect.” He grabs my arm and pulls me off the floor, so I look him in the eyes. Then, he wraps his fingers around my throat. “You look so much like your mother. I’d hoped you wouldn’t turn out like her. But I was wrong.” He squeezes until I’m gasping for air. “Who is Archer? What the hell did he tell you about me?”
“You killed his father,” I say, though my words are barely audible.
“Archer is Edward’s son?” He releases me.
My knee gives out from under me. I drop to the floor, coughing and fighting to catch my breath. A part of me had hoped Dad would deny it all. That he would tell me that it was all a misunderstanding, that he would never take a life. But instead, he’s towering over me, calculating his next move. And I realize, this is how Dad operates. He’s always looking for a way to blame his shortcomings on others. I’ve always known this, but it hurt too much to see it. This time, though, he’s gone too far. He killed a man in cold blood. It’s impossible to look the other way and pretend the man in front of me isn’t an absolute monster.
Archer was only ten years old when Dad set his house on fire and left them all to die. Dad walked away and just let it all burn. What kind of monster does that?
“So Tristan Sallows is back for his pound of flesh, is he?” He lets out a laugh.
Tristan? Freya called him that when I first met her. She later started calling him Archer, but I’m certain she used the name Tristan. So that’s Archer’s real name? Tristan.
“Now every single one of his movements since Archer arrived makes sense.” Dad nods to himself as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together. “The mob was happy to entertain my gambling until he came along. I thought it was coincidence that everywhere I turned, the great Archer was there to save the day. He took our home. He took you from me. What did he plan to do next?” He meets my gaze. “Now I understand why the ethics committee and the party were in such a rush to get me to resign. It was him. He probably paid them off. They dared come after me because he put them up to it.”
“He going to send you to jail. And make you pay for what you did,” I blurt out.
“Is that so? Was that his plan all along?” He furrows his brows. “Well, he failed. Much like his father, he doesn’t have the guts to do what’s needed to get the job done. He had months to get to me and he couldn’t hack it.”
Archer didn’t come after Dad, not because he couldn’t do it, but because he wanted to forgive him, for me. Archer didn’t finish ruining Dad out of love for me. Now his words in the forbidden wing make sense. He begged me to ask him to let it go, to put aside his anger. Back then, I didn’t understand what he was asking me. Archer didn’t want to hurt me. He knew that seeing Dad in jail would kill me.
Why didn’t he tell me the whole truth then? I glance at my bloody hands, the broken glass on the floor, and the darkness in Dad’s eyes. Archer knew he couldn’t tell me the truth because I wouldn’t have believed him. I would’ve sided with Dad. Until tonight, I had no idea what Dad was capable of. I see him now though. I see him for the monster he’s always been.
“I won.” Dad chuckles. “With a bit of luck, Hunter already took care of my Archer problem.” He furrows his brows as if considering something else.
But before he can ask more questions, Hunter barges in.
Hunter is pale and unnerved. “He’s gone.” He slams the door shut. “That asshole has more lives than a fucking cat. He’s gone.”
“What do you mean he’s gone?” Dad squeezes his hand into a fist.
“His car’s still there. The blood. But fucking Archer is gone. I was sure he was dead when we left him before.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Why won’t he die?”
“Where’s the gun?” Dad asks.
“Here.” Hunter reaches inside his tuxedo jacket and waves the weapon around with zero regard for our safety. “I should’ve shot more than once. But I was afraid the neighbors would come out looking for gossip.”
“Did anyone see you shoot him?” Dad steps around the shards of glass and joins him outside the glass enclosure.
“No, I told you. I was careful.” He rubs the back of his neck. “We were down the street. No one saw it. It was a single shot. I don’t think people realized what it was.” He thinks on it a bit, then his eyes open wide. “Maybe the security guards came out after I left and saw him?”
Dad releases a breath. “I’ll check with them.” He dips his head toward Hunter. “Wipe the gun down and leave it in the safe in my office. Get rid of the car. Dump it in a ditch or whatever, I don’t care. Clean out the blood too. No one can know Archer was ever here. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Hunter nods, blinking fast. “I understand.” He makes to leave then stops to look at me. “What about her?”
“She’s not your concern,” Dad deadpans.
“You promised her to me.” Hunter purses his lip into a tight line. “I did everything you said. She was supposed to marry me.”
Is it possible that the auction wasn’t the first time Dad put me up for sale? He promised me to Hunter. In exchange for what? Unwavering loyalty?
“We have bigger problems right now.” Dad glares at him. “We need to make sure Edward’s son is really gone. You can worry about the state of your dick later. For now, you need to clean up your fucking mess, then go home and lie low for a while. I will handle the rest.”
“Who’s Edward’s son?” Hunter squints at me, then looks to Dad.
“None of your business. Go.” Dad gestures toward the door.
Hunter stands there for several breaths as he looks at me with greed in his eyes. Eventually, he concedes with a nod and leaves again. Dad stands there fuming with his hands on his hips, staring at the door as if considering his next move. I’m still on the floor, afraid that if I make any sudden movements, I will remind Dad that before Hunter walked in, I accused him of killing Archer’s dad. And that I haven’t told him everything I know, like who’s helping him.
Dad is so lost in thought, he doesn’t notice when I slowly rise to my feet. My knee throbs from my fall down the stairs earlier, but I ignore it—I’m used to that constant pain. I have nowhere to go, no one I can call for help. But maybe if I can get back to the city, Caterina and Rex might be able to help me. I just need to get out of here and maybe take one of the cars parked outside.
I glance down at my stained shoes, and again, a memory from one of my nightmare’s flickers in my head. I’m beginning to think my dreams are not dreams at all, but broken memories. But memories of what? I was so little when Mom died in a car accident. Any memory of her would be impossible. I don’t even know her face. Because Dad lied about that too. He lies about everything. I fist my hands. How did I not see that before?
Slowly, I attempt a step toward the door that leads to the kitchen stairs. Dad’s still staring at nothing in the dimly lit room. I have to try. My whole body shakes with fear, but I have to try. In the next beat, I make a run for it.
“Paloma,” Dad calls after me, but I’m already in the kitchen, pushing my way through the staff and toward back door.
The cool air hits my face, and I know I can do this. I can escape my father once and for all. I cannot continue to be his sweet little daughter, like a tiny dancer in a music box who only twirls around the path laid out for it—back and forth. And back and forth. Never going anywhere. Only dancing for my father’s own entertainment.
I cross the lawn and head for the beach, adjusting my plan slightly. For now, I can run until I see another house with the lights on. Maybe they’ll call the police for me and keep Dad away. Maybe they’ll have a car I can borrow. It’s a pathetic plan, but it’s all I have. One way or another, I have to survive and find Archer. Tears slip down my cheeks. I miss him so much already, it hurts.
My lungs burn, but I continue running toward a spec of light in the distance. I can do this. I can get to the light. I tell myself not to look back, to just keep going. But fear crawls up my spine, and I just need to know Dad isn’t right behind me. He can’t possibly keep me here against my will. He’s a killer. I never want to see him again.
I chance a glance over my shoulder and see him. He’s not chasing after me on foot. He’s not even the one driving the golf cart. One of his security guards is behind the wheel, his attention zeroed in on me, like I’m some kind of wild animal he’s hunting.
The house with the light is too far still. So instead, I head for the one to my right. I pick my way through the lawn and the pool deck, while I consider my options. I could break in and hide inside. Or I could double back to the beach house. If I’m lucky, I can steal one of the valet cars and return to the city.
But before I reach the street on the other side of the house, a set of arms lock around my body and yank me off the ground. I’m once again kicking and screaming. But unlike Hunter, this guy was trained to handle a situation like this. He twists my arm behind my back and walks me back to the golf cart and Dad.
In the dark with only the moonlight overhead, I can’t see his face. I stare at him with an odd sense of deja vu. I’ve been here before, staring at a man who I know can hurt me if he wants to. I also know I can’t escape him.
To my surprise, Dad doesn’t slap me again. Instead, he closes the space between us and pulls me into an embrace that feels like old times. Once again, he’s the loving father. How many times did I do anything he asked of me, just for this small reward? I worked on my ballet day in and day out to please him, to show him how much I loved him. But he always made me feel like I wasn’t enough, nothing I did was ever enough.
The security guard holding me releases me. But I can’t get myself to hug Dad back. Nothing between us will ever be the same. I know what he’s capable of. I know he doesn’t love me because he only loves himself. All I can think of is that somehow, I have to survive, escape him, and find Archer.
Dad never deserved my sacrifices. All the money he took from his own campaign, he did it to feed his gambling addiction and satisfy his own greed. He killed Archer’s dad for the same reasons. He showed zero remorse when I accused him of being a murderer. In twenty years, Maurice Davis has not learned a single lesson. Even after I told him Archer had been hurt, he didn’t care. Because to him, a life isn’t worth much. Only his greed matters.
“We’re going back to the house,” he whispers in my ear. “You’re going to stay in the cellar until you decide what kind of daughter you wish to be going forward.”
“Archer will find me.” My entire body shakes in terror.
“Not if I kill him first.” He glares at me.