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“Stop being so damn selfish,” Rocco snapped. “You do this for the good of your family, and don’t you forget that.”
“Just like you lost the company for the family?” Scarlett tossed out. “Did you do that for us, or was it for Mom?”
Rocco’s hand made a hard smacking sound as it connected with Scarlett’s cheek. Her head fell back, and the pain was intense.
“Never speak to me like that again. I am your father, and you will treat me with respect.”
Scarlett did not reply for a long moment as she clutched her burning cheek with her left hand. Finally she whispered, “Fine, I’ll go back. At least he has never hit me.”
His mouth tight, Rocco stormed from the room, and her sisters surrounded her. “I can’t believe Father did that.” Chrys wrung her hands. “Are you okay?”
“Hell no she’s not okay.” Lecy rolled her eyes. “Run to the kitchen and get her some ice before it swells.” As Chrys hurried from the room, she turned to Scarlett. “Your mask should cover any bruise that might form. You shouldn’t have said that,” she gently reprimanded.
“Leave me alone,” said Scarlett. “He doesn’t care that he’s sending me back into that beast’s home, and he doesn’t care about us at all. If he did, he would have done a better job with the company.”
Lecy clicked her tongue, not refuting her claims. “Still, he is our Father, and you must be respectful. Remember that Mom never raised her voice to him.”
“Isn’t that nice for her,” Scarlett snapped. “She must have been a saint to put up with him. I wonder if he ever hit Mom for disrespecting him?”
Lecy had no answer to offer, and the subject died when Chrys returned. Scarlett pressed the ice bag to her swelling cheek while the other two fluttered around, preparing for the party. “I think I’ll get an early start,” Scarlett said. “I can be back in San Francisco within a couple hours, so it shouldn’t be too dark.” The idea of attending the party held no appeal.
“No, you must come to the party,” Chrys insisted. “It won’t be the same without you.”
Seeing the pleading in her sister’s dark eyes, Scarlett gave in and went to her room to dress for the party. Instead of taking a shower or pulling the dress from the closet, she lay across the bed and swiped at the trickle of tears leaking from her eyes. She still couldn’t believe her father had hit her. Not once in twenty years could she ever remember him doing such a thing.
Forcing herself from the bed, Scarlett soaked in a tub full of hot water. Afterward, wrapped only in a towel, she called information and got Carter’s phone number. She dialed the house and Ann answered. “He’s not available right now, Ms. Terini. I believe he’s out.”
“Thank you, Ann.” She was relieved to avoid a conversation with him. “Will you please take a message? Tell him I’ll be back sometime tomorrow morning.” After hanging up, Scarlett went to her closet and opened the door, walking inside. The dress, styled after a sixteenth-century courtesan’s, with a daring neckline, sweeping skirt, and yards of lace, hung on a rod by itself. Once dressed, she curled her hair into fat ringlets and slipped on the ivory mask. It had been specially designed to match the handmade dress and Scarlett found herself wondering how much the costumes for his daughters had cost her father. Likely not even a fraction of what the party was costing him.
After slipping her feet into matching ivory slippers, Scarlett returned to Lecy’s room and found her sisters dressed and ready. Their styles and colors were all complimentary, and Scarlett couldn’t help but notice how striking the three of them were. She wore ivory, Lecy was in midnight blue, and Chrys had chosen black.
Presenting a united front, the three of them went downstairs and started greeting guests as they arrived. Everyone was dressed exquisitely, and expensively, in imaginative creations. In past years, Scarlett had always looked forward to the party and treasured the memories all year, but tonight she was bored. Her face and her ankle throbbed in unison, and she was tired of standing, walking, dancing, and making polite conversation. She just wanted to go to sleep and forget that tomorrow she was returning to Carter Braxton.
There was a stir of excitement among the guests as new people entered the ballroom. Curious despite herself, Scarlett craned her neck to see the new arrivals. Other guests blocked her view, and she politely pushed her way through until the new guests were visible.
He wore a tuxedo, and it fit him well. Since she had only ever seen him a suit, his tuxedo didn’t surprise her in the least. His piercing blue eyes found her and she couldn’t look away. He looked so sexy. Why did she run away?
Oh right, because he’s a liar and was terrible to her.
Scarlett tensed as Carter approached her, with no sign of Darren. “Carter,” she said nervously when he stopped in front of her.
“Scarlett,” he purred. “I’ve come to collect my property,” he whispered. “You or the house, it makes no difference,” he added in a cool tone.
“I was coming back tomorrow.” Scarlett stuttered.
Carter laughed, a rich sound, but there was a sharp edge to it. “I’m sure you were.”
“I left a message with Ann earlier in the evening. You can verify it with her.” Trying to keep a straight face, she said, “I only came for this party, and then I was returning. If I were leaving forever, don’t you think I would have taken my clothes, my possessions?”
Carter smiled down at her. “That’s a lie, but I’ll allow you to tell it.
Next time you want to go somewhere, please ask the driver to take you.” He phrased it like a request, but they both knew better. “I don’t like coming to this cursed place to fetch you.”
“Shall we leave?” Scarlett asked, nervously licking her lips.
“A dance first,” Carter suggested.
“My ankle hurts.”
