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“I wasn’t following you.”
I inched closer. Her response had made me angry, yet she didn’t seem to have noticed. It was like she didn’t quite expect me to confront her, though any other outcome would’ve been absurd.
It didn’t take me long to inspect her for weapons. She kept backing away as I moved forward, step by step, until there was no place left for her to run. Her back collided with the concrete wall, which managed to draw a laugh out of me.
“I’ll ask again, and do think carefully about your answer. I don’t ask the same question thrice.”
She visibly gulped but, a second later, tried to put on a brave face. It was adorable.
“Why were you following me?”
“I wasn’t.”
Violence seemed like the only right answer. It was the only thing I was truly comfortable with. The blood, the terror of the victim… it was like the most peaceful painting—fulfilling and worth remembering.
But it was broad daylight, and there were too many people around, so killing her wasn’t an option. I had to settle for a good blow instead. I whipped out my knife and jabbed the handle into her gut.
She doubled over in pain, her eyes wide with surprise. When she finally managed to look up and meet my gaze, she was still panting.
My best guess was that the emptiness in my eyes had scared her to the bone. I’d yet to meet anyone else who harbored no feelings in their gaze—or was able to hide them as well as I could.
“I’m sorry,” Brianne breathed. “I don’t mean any harm.”
I stepped back, one eyebrow raised. “Then answer the goddamn question.”
A few strands of hair fell out of her hat, and she tried to push them back in with no success. She straightened her posture and looked straight into my eyes, almost as if the fear she was feeling had vanished completely. It was interesting, though her poker face faltered whenever I made the slightest move.
“I was following you because you’re the only person in your family I have access to.”
“Elaborate,” I drawled, and she quickly nodded.
“I know there’s a hit out on my father; I know that he works for your brother. But I don’t know why this is all happening, and Davorin won’t tell me a thing.”
A slow smile laced my face. Things were starting to get interesting.
“Why would he tell you anything about it? He’s the one who took the job.”
Brianne’s eyes widened and her mouth slightly parted; otherwise her body remained frozen. She blinked a few times, searching for any indication that I was lying to her, which I wasn’t. I wasn’t surprised that she’d been unaware of Davorin’s connection to her father, and it made all of this too amusing.
“He never told me that.” Her voice was full of disappointment and disbelief.
“That’s how contract killing works, Brianne.” I gave her a moment to collect herself. “Why did you think I’d have the answers you sought?”
“Because,” she hissed, her words full of venom, “all Davorin talks and thinks about is you. Given the family you come from, and the fact that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, it was a logical assumption that you’d have the answers I need.”
My laughter came out of nowhere, but it couldn’t be stopped. “It was a logical assumption that I’d tell you what you wanted to know?” I took a step towards her, thrilled to see her anger turning into terror.
“Oh, darling, you were so wrong. All you did was put yourself on my radar, and inevitably, you’ll meet the same destiny as your father.”
I left her to think about my words without offering her a second glance. Chills ran down my spine at the excitement of it all. Brianne hadn’t seemed like the sort of person who’d get in my way, but now I’d been proven wrong, I was determined to show her just how bad my family could get.
And I couldn’t wait for the chance to strike.
I stared at the bracelet I’d had made as I sat at my dressing table. I’d had the dice evaluated and had been shocked at the price. Davorin wasn’t holding back, because three of those dice were worth enough to pay off my penthouse at the very least.
I blow-dried my hair before allowing it to fall down my back, straight. The loose gown I wore felt suffocating. In the mirror, I stared at both myself and the bracelet I held.
It was too pretty to be worn all the time, yet too pretty to be kept for special occasions only.
