AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What little pacts have you been making with my jewel, Henri?” Victor asked carefully. “It seems you’ve been keeping secrets, even in the short time you’ve been here.”
“Merely a method of control, Vic.” Henri threw Victor a cocky grin. “That’s all.”
Betrayal sat like venom inside me.
Softly, seductively, Henri pulled me deeper into his arms.
The sensation of maliciousness masquerading as kindness was the worst thing I’d ever endured. Slimy and cold, oily and agonising.
I moaned as Henri gathered me closer.
I shivered as his lips pressed to my ear.
And I shut down as he whispered, “I need you, Ily. I need you to behave for me. To obey me.”
I snapped.
Tearing myself from his sick embrace, I balled my hands and pummelled his chest. “I will never behave for you, you sick bastard!”
And then, the tears came.
Thick, wracking sobs of sorrow.
His eyes flared.
He reeled backward.
He backed away so fast, he crashed into the backgammon table, sending hors d’oeuvres smashing to the floor. Digging both hands into his hair, he tugged the strands as if desperate to rip out whatever mania lived within him.
He let loose a stream of French.
I couldn’t decipher it he spoke so fast, but I did interpret his torment. It matched mine. It made my delusions pause just for a moment.
Oh God.
W-What have I done?
Dropping his hands, his hair stayed in disarray as he wiped his mouth with a trembling hand. “I-It’s late, Victor. I’m drunk and can barely see straight. I’ll shleep it off and—”
“Enough!” Victor bellowed, freezing all of us in place. Fury painted him, rippling in his nightgown and filling his lambskin slippers. “If you do not grab your jewel and strap her on the cross in ten seconds, Ward, so help me God, I will put a fucking bullet in both your brains. I’ve had enough of this ludicrous nonsense!” Snapping his fingers, he waited for a guard to place a loaded pistol into his hand, then held it to my temple.
His eyes narrowed on Henri as he swayed on the spot. “Ten.”
I dropped to the floor and covered my head.
“Nine.”
Peter grabbed me and tried to pull me to my feet. “Get up, Ily. I’m so sorry. Get up, please—”
“Eight.”
I huddled into a ball and screamed as the world became a vortex. Every sense shouted and smothered.
“Seven.”
“Fuck!” Henri’s roar cut through the screeching in my head.
“Six.”
