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My grandfather leans back and there is no expression on his face telling me his thoughts. There never has been and I wonder if he’s angry, disappointed, or even happy at what I told him.
The seconds pass as he stares at me long and hard, and I know better than to interrupt him. Then he surprises me by pulling out his desk drawer, retrieving a leather-bound folder and opening it before him.
He pushes a large photograph toward me, and I stare in shock at the scene I just described moments ago.
However, it’s not the scene itself that angers me and tugs the bottom out of my world. It’s the face of the man leaving Purity’s family home.
“Did you know about this?” I say in confusion, and he sighs heavily.
“No.”
“The photographs?” I study the set he gives me and for some reason, it’s the face of the pretty girl in the school uniform that affects me more. I stare at her angelic trusting face as she hovers close to Gabriella, the card in her hand before she hides it away.
My heart beats so fast as I stare at a vision and, for some reason, knowing what I have already done to destroy her, doesn’t make me feel good about myself. It’s a snapshot in time of the beginning of Purity’s road to damnation and it’s choking me, dragging me into that dark place I can never escape. Then I’m reminded of the shady world we live in as I glance at the other two people in the photograph.
“What does this mean?” I stare at my grandfather, and he shrugs.
“It means you have a lot to learn, Killian, before you deserve the title of Don Vieri.”
He appears angry and yet that anger is replaced by an expression of pleasure when the door opens and my sister walks inside with no invitation.
“Grandfather.” She addresses him first and heads to his side, throwing her arms around him and kissing him eagerly, several times on both cheeks, causing him to laugh fondly.
“My beautiful princess.” He says with pleasure and immediately the dark moment is lit by brilliant light.
She turns to me and grins. “The bridegroom that I never thought would see the day.”
She cocks her head to one side. “I must meet this paragon of virtue who has met your high standards.”
She heads toward me and kisses me three times and then stands back and sighs heavily.
“You always look so angry, brother. Even on your wedding day.”
I catch my grandfather’s expression and know this conversation will not be revisited. It is up to me to deal with the problem and yet I have many questions that need answering.
But not now. Not with Serena in earshot and she studies me hard and then whispers, “She’s a lucky girl.”
“If you say so.” I shrug, causing her to roll her eyes.
“One day, Kill, you will let someone inside that cold heart of yours. Hopefully, when she becomes family, you will offer Purity the same respect you give to us.”
I grin because Serena always can lift my mood.
“Keep dreaming, princess.”
She shakes her head and then blows us both a kiss as she heads to the door. “I’m going to seek out this wonder woman and discover if she is as mentally disturbed as I think she is.”
Her laughter follows her, and I have a growing sense of unease that I’m doing the wrong thing. Not for me. For Purity because, as I glance down at the angelic face in the photograph, I feel like the big bad wolf who is about to gobble Red Riding Hood up.
I am brought back to business as my grandfather retrieves the photographs and places them back into the leather folder, sliding it my way with a sad expression in his eye.
“Do what you must, but youwilldo it, Killian.”
His eyes are as dark as the blackest sky and hold an approaching storm that would have many men running for shelter.
Not me. I must stand in the eye of it and conquer it if I am ever going to deserve the title of Don Vieri, supreme ruler of The Dark Lords.
CHAPTER31
