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But he seems to enjoy throwing his power around, which is not surprising, given the sort of man that he is. No one gets to his status without running over others in the process.
He reaches for a fallen strand of hair over my shoulder and pulls it back, his finger lingering slightly on the bare skin around the strap of my dress. I don’t let my eyes falter and leave his face.
“You want something, Wryn. What is it?” His tone is menacing now, demanding an answer.
I’m not surprised when I feel my hands start to tremble. I’m a cornered sheep, the monster closing in, and I have no idea what to do.
“We came to bring Lilliana home with us,” I say, cringing and hoping it was okay to tell him that.
I’m out of my element here, a tiny fish in a big pond, and I shouldn’t be playing with the big dogs. I way overestimated myself after Bertrand.
“That’s not what you want,” Viktor says.
I widen my eyes. I don’t know what he wants from me.
“That’s why I’m here,” I tell him.
“Maybe that’s why you arehere,but it’s not why you are in this world.”
“What do you mean?” I furrow my brow in confusion.
“You weren’t raised in the darkness. Why would you willingly put yourself in harm’s way?”
His question cuts through me. Darkness. It’s an accurate description of the world he lives in, and I don’t know how he knows what he knows about me, but I am scared.
“Am I in harm’s way?” I ask, watching the devious smile creep over his face, lighting his eyes, as if mentioning danger alights all his nerve endings.
“Not right now, but you will be,” he says, and I fight the urge to throw up.
Is he threatening me?
“It’s inevitable, my dear. A war is coming, and you are right in the middle of it.” He leans in, his lips touching my ear. I shiver as his hot breath lands against my skin. “I know what you did.”
My fingers clench, and my blood stills in my veins as I process what he said.
He didn’t specify exactly what he meant, but what else could he be talking about? How could he know?
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out, and Viktor pats my leg in a condescending way.
“I have business to discuss,” is all he says before standing and striding away from me.
I watch him cross the room, getting Connor’s attention, and then they leave. I’m vaguely aware of a warm body settling beside me—Lilliana. But I stare at the piano in front of me, wondering what is about to happen.
18
CONNOR
Ifollow Viktor into a side room, a study of sorts with a desk and three chairs. He sits in one of the two chairs that are separated by a small table, indicating I should too. I sink into the other chair, but I am wary being alone with him without any sort of way to defend myself. I know he doesn’t like me, but I’m not sure how deep his hatred goes. He might have announced me as his grandson tonight, but the truth is, I’m not blood-related to him in any way, and I know how important blood is to this man.
He lives and dies by it.
“I won’t mince words. I hated your father, and I’m not sorry he’s dead.”
I’m not sure what game he’s playing.
Does he want me to agree or disagree? Should I show loyalty to my father or to him?
“He wasn’t a good man,” I say in an effort to straddle the line.
