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I limped beside him, my cane swinging.
We exited into the plush corridor.
Cem nodded at an evil-eyed guard on the way past.
The guard tipped his head at the silent command.
My heart lurched.
No.
Don’t—
Before I could stop him, the guard marched in, withdrew his gun, and shot the blonde girl in the head.
* * * * *
“You said you’d release her!” I roared, limp-pacing the immaculate study where Cem had commanded I join him for a late nightcap before bed.
“You haven’t raised your voice in years, Aslan. Why on earth are you this irate about a nameless slave girl?”
“Because I gave her my word.”
“Your word that you would help her.”
“Yes!”
“You did help her. She’s free now.”
“She’s dead!”
“Some might say that was a better existence than being traded to a new master.”
“You’re the one doing the fucking trading!” I shouted. “Shut down that part of your company. Shut down the Fairy House. Fire that awful Madame Elif. Stop hurting people, Cem!”
He went deathly still. “I am your father, Aslan. I thought you understood this.”
“Fine!” I whacked my cane against the fireplace, chipping off a piece of marble from a delicate flower wrapped around a motif of swans and river reeds. “Please, baba. I will do whatever you ask of me. I will run your empire just the way you want it. You have my word I will dedicate my life to your business, just like you want me to. But I will not run a trafficking ring. No amount of ‘persuasion’ will change my mind. No amount of girls or—”
“You lied to me, Aslan. You lied to my face. Again. Don’t you think that’s why I got you out of there so fast?” He stood from where he sat in a wingback by the bookcases, nursing his tumbler of liquor. Striding toward me, his face slipped into pure malice. “You’re not the only one who can put on a performance. Do you think I bought your little sob story? Do you honestly think I would’ve let that girl live after you made her believe the boss and his heir are eunuchs? Do you truly think I give a rat’s ass about her life when you’re the one putting both of us at risk?”
“Me?” I bared my teeth. “How?”
“You will give me a grandchild, Aslan. I’ve worked too hard for too long to let what I’ve built only last your generation. This wealth will be passed down through our lineage. You will have more than one heir, so if one goes missing, you don’t have the same misfortune as I did at hunting them down. In fact, you will give me many. And sooner rather than later. I’d hoped you would choose a nice Turkish girl. I’m traditional and want you to be married with a woman on your arm who will support and adore you. But...I was also happy with you spreading your seed to any girl you wished. You could’ve had a harem for all I cared. I don’t care where my grandchildren come from as long as they are yours.”
“Aren’t you listening?” I snapped. “I can’t sire any children because I can’t get it up!”
Stopping close, too close, he sipped on his raki. The white cloudy liquid made from grapes and aniseed tainted his breath as he snarled, “Five years I’ve spoken to Nerida Taylor. Five years I’ve known something that you do not.”
Familiar horror oozed through me hearing Neri’s name on his tongue. “Don’t talk about her. She’s in the past. You said you’d leave her alone—”
“You’re going to marry her.”
“What? How?” My knees almost gave out. I clung to my cane. “She thinks I’m dead. Remember?”
“Tomorrow, I’m going to arrange men to go and collect her.”
“Fuck no, you’re not.” I tripped away from him, my limping worse as my balance grew scrambled. “Leave her the fuck alone. We had a deal.”
“A deal that I’m beginning to think is also a lie.”
“I don’t want her anywhere near this place or you,” I seethed. “Forget you even know she exists.”
“Just how long have you been chewing on your true thoughts, Aslan? I thought we’d erased all those feelings. You have no more tattoo to cling to. Nothing left to need. I’ve given you everything you could ever dream of and this is how you repay me?”
“If you go after Neri, I’ll kill you myself.”
“And there it is.” He toasted me and swallowed the last mouthful of raki. “The truth. Finally.”
“Truth? What truth?”
“Listen to me, Son, and listen to me well. I will bring Neri here. You can keep her just like you’ve always wanted. I’ll arrange a nice wedding for you both, and you can decide how much she will learn of our family enterprise. You can keep her in the dark and on her back or you can have her rule beside you, it makes no matter to me.” He stalked toward me, backing me into the wall. “And in return, you will fuck your new bride until you knock her up like you’ve done once before. You will get her pregnant again. You will pop out another child and another and another. As long as you obey me, Aslan, the mother of your children will not be harmed. But betray me again, try to lie to me again, and I will slit her throat from ear to ear. If you even think about going behind my back, I’ll have Çetin flay her alive. Do. You. Hear. Me?”
