Chapter 38 Villain #4
I turned to look at the old man, who looked truly old for the first time I could remember. He was shrunken, and had oxygen nearby, although the mask was hanging by his chair. His eyes still burned like two coals in his sunken cheeks.
“Daniela, what did you do?” The voice was soft, but I got goosebumps anyway, because I knew that a soft voice did not mean a soft will.
“Thank you,” I said to the man who held out the tray with a glass of old, glittering scotch on it before he hastily retreated.
I swirled the liquid in my glass and smiled at the old man.
“I will not allow Philippe to have Haversham. I have only begun, disrupting a merger he’s had planned for some time, a merger that would have put him in a position of power that we, as a family, cannot have.
He’s a psychopath. He’s not like you, cold, calculating, cruel.
If he were it would be endurable, but he is unstable, irrational, and uncontrollable. ”
He raised a salt and pepper brow. “And you are going to control him? How do you propose to do that? I suppose you could bring him to heel the way you did Clint, but I do not approve, whether you are close blood relations or not. He will turn on you. Why do you think I’ve put so much effort into making strong alliances for you, taking you out of direct conflict with him? ”
“You mean selling me to Clint first and Dirk second?”
He took inhaled sharply. “They are both good enough families, although Prescott has some instability in his strain that would make your children less stable.”
“You mean the super serum strains.”
Both wiry brows rose at that, and he took a moment to place the mask on his face, inhaling deeply several times before he removed it and spoke. “What do you know of it?”
“Philippe shot a rocket at me, and I lifted up a tank. I’m not going to sit idly while my cousin destroys everything he touches.
I’m not going to hide behind a man and a marriage, either.
I suppose you meant well, but Philippe would only destroy everyone I was connected with as soon as he had the chance.
It is his nature to destroy, and it is my nature to protect.
I will protect Haversham if you give me your support. ”
He studied me with those hard eyes, but I didn’t flinch away from his calculation. “Your powers have manifested, and it was in protecting others?”
I shrugged and sipped my scotch. “And myself. I’m not going to allow Philippe to harm anyone else, like he killed Dirk’s sister.”
He raised a brow. “Did he? Do you have proof?”
“He told me so himself when he congratulated me on manifesting my abilities, told me that we were destined.” I curled my lip at the memory.
“He was ordered not to interfere.”
“Why would he obey your orders? How do you enforce them? What is his weakness?”
He sighed heavily and then winced and put a hand on his chest. “He wants power, and he wants you. He only loses control when it comes to you.”
“You can’t get me out of the way unless you kill me. He doesn’t fear anyone other than you, and you are growing weaker. How long have you been dying?” I felt a twinge in my chest as I said the words I hadn’t wanted to think, but he hadn’t taught me to ignore reality or the weaknesses of others.
“Why do you think I signed you over to Clint? His mother is a terrifying creature who could keep you safe, even if he himself is somewhat weak. Still, Prescott has allies that can—”
“I will not be Mrs. Prescott for much longer. Philippe killed Dirk’s sister in the most horrifying manner possible. Our families are not on good terms and will not be on good terms until Philippe has paid for his crimes.”
“And you’re the law now?” His eyes twinkled with amusement that made me want to snarl.
I took an even breath and forced a slight smile. “Yes, at least as far as Haversham is concerned. My family will be respectable, not just feared. We will be a leader in more than power. I will see to it.”
“You do not understand the alliances that bind us.” He started coughing, and then red flecks spotted his white cuff.
“Alliances do not bind justice.” I stood up. “You will not last much longer, and you fear the darkness too much to stand against it.” Should I feel more regret at his nearing death? If only he hadn’t taught me so much fear.
“You do not fear enough!” he snarled, eyes bright, teeth bared.
“I have been afraid for far too long. What should I fear? Death? Pain?” I shook my head. “I fear being crushed by fear like you have been crushed.” I turned and walked away, aware of the few sharp eyes that followed me as I left the crumbling ruins of my grandfather’s legacy behind.
I walked instead of taking a cab. I needed to stretch my legs after being confined in my grandfather’s presence, with the fear he lived and breathed.
He lived to be feared, as he feared. And Clint’s mother was the one who was supposed to protect me from Philippe?
I’d thought she was too good to be true.
At least Dirk’s mother was honest about her judgmental pettiness.
I was halfway to the restaurant where I’d made reservations for dinner, the same restaurant I’d had lunch at, when Philippe’s dark red Lamborghini pulled beside me.
I kept walking for a few steps before I turned and waited until he got out.
His eye was bruised, blood-shot. He’d recently been in a fight, but he was still a stunning specimen of psychoticness.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded. “Why would you go speak to grandfather?” Ah, there was fear there too. So much fear. It was almost as if he didn’t want my grandfather to know that my powers had come out to play.
I took a deep breath. “I’m hungry. Have you had dinner?”
He blinked at me, unbalanced for a moment. “I have not. May I escort you to dinner?” Ah, such a gentleman when he wasn’t stabbing you in the back.
“I have reservations at Caverne’s Delight. Do you know the place?”
He came around and opened the passenger’s door for me. “Of course. Ma Cherie, we have not dined together for some time.”
I slipped into the car, sinking like quicksand into the deep leather seat as he firmly closed the door on me. It smelled like vanilla and leather with an undercurrent of something metallic. Blood probably.
He slid in and turned the engine with a silky purr. Music came on, Shostakovich with a rustling wind wrapped around it. I knew the tones of that cello. No one else sounded like Straw.
“You’re playing my first public concert.” I wanted to shiver, but I didn’t.
“Naturally. You saw grandfather, so you know that he’s fading away. I will care for you when he is gone as well as he cared for you while he was alive.”
“I don’t like the way he cared for me. I like playing the cello in public. I dislike being sold to men.”
He brushed the back of my hand with his thumb. Only for a moment, but it still sent a wave of chills through me. “I will give you whatever you want.”
“I will take whatever I want.”
He laughed, and he sounded genuinely delighted. He clearly hadn’t heard what I’d been doing this afternoon. I wasn’t about to tell him while I was in the privacy of his car. Not that I couldn’t handle myself, but I didn’t have my glass knives on me.
“You do not want Dirk?” The words were light, but there was a feverish intent behind them.
I shrugged. “He was useful as a distraction from my fear of heights as well as in my most recent negotiations. Being Mrs. Prescott has some perks, but soon enough I’ll be free. Don’t think of selling me to another man.”
He laughed again. “I would not dream of it. When does the divorce finalize?”
“It will be an annulment. Our marriage was never consummated.”
He inhaled sharply. Apparently, everyone wanted to know the sordid details of my life. His eyes burned when he glanced at me. “Ah, ma cherie, you truly never cared for him?”
“I wanted to ruin him, but you got to him before I could. I’m not happy about that, Philippe. I was going to ruin him beautifully, but you spoiled everything.”
He shifted down, and we went faster, too fast for the busy streets, but he had excellent reflexes. “I apologize, my Daniela. I wouldn’t have touched him if I knew that you wanted to destroy him yourself.”
His Daniela? How long would it take to get to the restaurant?
How long could he resist his psychotic compulsions?
I turned up the music and then reclined the seat, eyes closed, soaking in the music.
He would either take me to the restaurant or somewhere quiet and dark where he could torture me and murder me.
Either way, there was nothing to fear. I relaxed and let the music take care of the stress.
I really did sound good with the snowy wind swirling around me.
He pulled up at the restaurant, and a valet opened my door, offering me a hand which I took to help me out of the enveloping leather.
“May I give you my arm?” Philippe asked, handing his keys to the valet.
“In this suit? Certainly not.”
“And if you were wearing something else?”
“I am capable of balancing very well in heels.”
“And stabbing with them.” He smiled at me, a look in his eyes that usually made me shiver, but I only analyzed it, refusing to take it personally.
“Naturally. Where do you live?”
“Where do you want me to live?”
I gave him a sidelong glance. “I’m going to get an apartment in the city. I lived near here with Clint, but I don’t know much about the other neighborhoods as far as livability is concerned. Parking, music, and a view of the bay of course are all considerations.”
“You would like my advice? Move in with me.”
Terrifying thought. “Now you’re joking. I’m serious about finding an apartment, but if you have no advice for me, I suppose I’ll do my own research.”