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But I want Alexander for myself, for us. I need him–love him–too much to agree to this. Griffin won't stop until he's broken Alexander, but together Alexander and I can be unbreakable.
And that's exactly why Griffin is so desperate to get me out of the picture.
For the first time, he can't control Alexander, and he's blaming me for it. For all his talk about my "cursed blood," I can see this for exactly what it is.
He's scared.
"There's no amount of money that will make me break up my family," I straighten my back, wiping my wet cheeks with my hands. "I don't want your money."
Griffin looks like I've just insulted him. "Foolish choice, girl."
I narrow my eyes at him. "What do you think Alexander will think when I tell him of this conversation?" He doesn't seem phased. "You underestimate him." Us.
My fingers are tense as I move my hand to my thigh as indiscernibly as I can. I didn't want it to come to this, but if Griffin doesn't want to leave me alone, I will have to defend myself.
It's the right thing to do.
He's threatening my family.
I don't think he expects me to have a gun, so I can use that to my advantage. I swallow thickly. I never expected to be using it so soon—I only asked Alex for it in the event that I ever had to face my father.
But he's taught me well.
You're stronger than you give yourself credit for,I can hear him saying.
"I see why you two get on," he says, mock sincerity dripping from his words. "You are just as stupid as he is. Full of the same kind of hubris." He takes two steps toward me. I take two steps backward. "I'll enjoy cutting you down all the same."
That's the only warning I get.
Griffin lunges at me, but I twist just out of the reach of his fingers. My platform heels are affixed by a thin buckle across my ankle, so I don't have the time to stop and get out of them.
He's hot on my heels.
Griffin catches me when I'm a few paces from the staircase that leads to the garden. He wraps his arms around my waist. I hike up the hem of my dress, reaching for my gun.
He's behind me, so I can't aim safely.
But it's still a weapon. I whack him with it, and it hits his forearm.
"Oh, he bought you a gun, did he?" Griffin smells of cigarettes and whiskey, and it makes my stomach churn. I want to puke then and there. "That won't help you. Shoot me, I dare you."
He slams me into the railing as I'm struggling with him.
Pain blooms by my shoulder, and the sharp edge feels like it's drawn blood. But I'm too frazzled to care. The pain grounds me in the moment.
My life is in danger.
Ourlives are in danger.
I twist my body around with all my might to face him. I only pivot halfway, but it's enough that I can see him. Our bodies are close, too close for me to take a safe shot. But there's nothing about this that will ever be safe.
I jam the gun into his side.
I don't want to kill him, only scare him enough to leave me alone so I can find Alexander, or at least for Wesley to come back. Where the fuck is he, anyway? Is he picking the apples to make the apple juice himself?
Griffin's eyes widen for a millisecond when he feels the barrel of the gun.
"Go ahead," he says. "Shoot me."
