Chapter 36
Isabella, Kinsley and I sat inside the back of one of the SUVs we’d taken while the men went inside to get everything situated. Marcus was instructed to watch over us, and we were simply waiting for them to let us know we were up. I gripped the journal in my hands.
My statement, along with the paternity test results we’d had done, were contained inside . The car door opened, and Andrew appeared. He held out his hand to us and, with one final hug, led me inside my old home.
Marcus followed behind Kinsley, watching the surrounding area for any potential danger.
The air had been sucked from my lungs the moment I stepped inside the door.
I counted my steps the further we went in, every breath growing harder to drag in.
The door to the living room—where the big mirror was held—was wide open. I halted my steps.
“We’ve got him secured in the basement,” Andrew said. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, Sir.”
According to Nik’s intel, the entire staff had quit the day he was arrested, so there was no need to worry that someone might see us.
We continued down the hallway on our way to where the worst of the worst happened.
It seemed fitting that the horror he’d subjected me to all these years would end there.
Isabella and Kinsley huddled next to one another, sensing my unease. I stopped once more and turned.
“It looks like my old bedroom from before. I know I mentioned it, but there is also a mirror…”
“Two way?” Kinsley whispered as Isabella’s face went white.
“Yes, but this time we hold the power,” I added firmly. Stepping over, I cupped Isabella’s face. “I can do this knowing you’re both by my side. Winter would want you to be brave. I need you to be brave for me. Can you?”
“I can. Please tell me you don’t have dogs, though.”
“No, but after this I say it’s high time we get a tabby cat.” I smiled before adding, “We can vote on the name, and I can feed it chicken every day if I want.”
Those words were all I needed to say. Isabella’s cheeks filled with color, and Kinsley gave me a goofy grin before launching herself at me.
“You’re so amazing. Let’s go kick some ass,” she said, grabbing Izzy’s hand in hers.
Single file, we descended the steps, Andrew leading and Marcus bringing up the rear. The only sound was our footsteps as we descended. Andrew flung the door open, and Isabella gasped.
Tied to a chair sat the man who tried to kill me, duct tape wound around his mouth.
A warmth spread inside my chest, and my vision adjusted.
His face was unshaven, and fear emanated from him.
For once, I relished the smell because it wasn’t my own.
The Death Squad was spread out across the room, and the energy that flowed between them was electric.
“We agreed to twenty minutes, no more than that.” Alek stepped forward, addressing me directly.
“I know you requested to be alone, but we’ll be watching from the other side of the mirror.
Marcus is going to be right outside the door.
Don’t do anything foolish, young lady.” He switched his attention to Kinsley, who couldn’t stop glaring at Cameron.
Alek stepped in front of her direct line of sight, and her eyes immediately softened. “Twenty minutes, Sir. I heard you. I’m just focused on the task at hand. A distracted dancer is an injured dancer. The only injuries tonight will be his,” she said with determination.
Pasha laughed. Sebastian stepped over and hugged his sister before speaking into her ear.
With one final look from Alek, they filed out of the room.
The resounding click was almost deafening.
The space felt practically empty without the men, and it was like they’d somehow taken the air of danger with them.
Kinsley was the first to approach Cameron, and he was completely dumbfounded. Her attire didn’t help matters. His eyes were glued to the front of her low-cut dress, not surprisingly.
“Like what you see? I suggest you close your eyes, baldy, because if you don’t stop looking at me like that, the Reaper will pluck your eyes out,” she purred as he gulped and shifted his eyes away. “We wouldn’t want that, now would we ladies? Better for him to see what’s coming his way.”
With an air of authority I hadn’t expected, Isabella stepped up to him and spoke, “Introduce us properly please, Summer. After all, it’s only fair he understands who he’s dealing with.”
“Gladly,” I said, finding my voice even though it shook a little. Knowing he couldn’t do anything but listen gave me the confidence I needed.
“Cameron, this dark-haired beauty is none other than Isabella Caruso. Yes, Sebastian’s baby sister, for tonight she will be known as the Artist. I can’t wait to see what masterpiece she’ll create. You know her as Autumn.”
“And I’m your worst nightmare, at least for the next nineteen minutes. I’m the Swan, by the way, or Spring, if you prefer.”
Kinsley twirled once more and then leaned in, sniffing him. He couldn’t help but stare down her dress.
“I’m sure I already warned you. Maybe I should take one eye. What do you think, ladies?”
She whipped her knife out with a quickness that had me floored. Cameron once more seemed at a loss at the feral and unhinged look on Kinsley’s face. I grew stronger with each second that passed.
“He needs to see this first, but it seems fitting, so if you really want one, I’m sure as long as he doesn’t die from blood loss, Andy won’t mind.” I approached the man who had tormented me for far too long. “Here, let me hold it for you since you don’t have the use of your hands.”
I held the results of the DNA test up to him.
“Ooh, we should have him read it out loud,” Kinsley sang, and she cut through the duct tape around his mouth. “Oops,” she giggled as she nicked his cheek, and he winced.
Isabella shook her head, but grinned nonetheless. I could only imagine the guys were going crazy watching, and expected Marcus to barge through the door any second.
“Read it,” I demanded.
I focused on the blood trickling down his face. He cleared his throat but ignored the paper in my hand.
“Victoria, please don’t do this. Think of our son,” he huffed, his chest rattling. I wondered if one of the guys had broken a rib already.
“She didn’t ask you to do anything but read,” Isabella screamed in his face.
He flinched and looked at her as if she were crazy. For good measure, she slapped him several times on both cheeks.
“Ugh.” she wiped his blood on the front of his jeans.
“What do you two get out of this?” Cameron asked.
“Shits-n-giggles, plus I like to stab things. Does the balding scumbag need help reading?” Kinsley replied.
“I read just fine, you stupid bitch,” he sneered.
A loud bang resounded from the window, letting all of us know that the men had heard.
“Not a smart move, Cameron. Somehow, I think you’ll end up losing your tongue for that. I’m not mad, honestly you never knew what to do with it, anyway.” I shrugged. “Now I suggest you read, or you’ll never believe it to be true. And that would be a shame, especially since it pertains to Declan.”
He shifted his eyes away from Kinsley, who opened her phone and pulled up a playlist. Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor. The funeral march bounced off the walls. She shrugged as I grinned from ear to ear.
“It seemed fitting. I mean, he’s dead already.”
My heart soared with love for her. I turned my attention to the man who had been such a huge part of my life. He’d twisted everything and made it grotesque. I took a deep breath, ready to get this over with. I didn’t want to waste one more single moment on him than I had to.
I was proud that my voice rang out clearly.
“You always thought you knew everything about me. You scoured my journals looking for a thousand ways to torment me, and you were successful. However, thanks to your actions, I learned how to keep secrets from you. Would you like to know the biggest one I’ve kept?
” I thrust the results back in his face.
Finally, he gave the paper more than a dismissive glance. His lips moved as he silently read the paper. A flicker of shock and disbelief crossed his face, and I grinned.
“See, girls, he can read. Now it makes more sense that your attorney asked you to submit to a DNA test, huh? Declan was never yours. He’s always been mine.”
“You fucking slut,” he spat.
“No, a slut sleeps with various men without a care in the world. I’ve only slept with two men in my life. Only one was someone I willingly gave myself to. It was never you,” I sneered, shuddering in revulsion as I thought about all the times he raped me.
He strained against the ropes, his shock turning into full-blown anger. Kinsley stepped behind him and yanked the little amount of hair he had back. She pressed her knife to his throat.
“Watch what you say about my season sister. This is your only warning.”
Something major shifted inside me. The three of us here, in this moment—taking back the power that had once been stolen from us. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t the original men. I caught the look on both the girls’ faces and reveled in our newfound reality. I turned my attention back to Cameron.
“I see you’re catching on now. But maybe you doubt me.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we?
Settle in. You remember that trip I took to Ireland after my mother died?
I’ve learned that the universe is a gift giver.
I’ve had my fair share of bad ones, rotten gifts, horrible surprises, but on a stormy night when I’d given up all hope, an angel appeared.
The funny thing is, he always saw me as the angel, but it was the other way around. ”
“Now his tattoo makes complete sense,” exclaimed Kinsley.
“It was one of my finer pieces, I’ll admit. Alek did a good rendition of it,” Isabella remarked, looking proud. “Tell him what happened next.”
The muscles in Cameron’s face tightened up, and he snarled, pulling against his restraints.