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I’ll feel bad if I start causing mayhem and destroying anything I can get my hands on. Someone else would have to clean that up, but they do work for him. I’m sure everyone knows that I’m not allowed to leave. I’ve been kidnapped. They allow it, so maybe I shouldn’t care who has to fix any destruction I cause.
When I walk past a pretty statue sitting on a table, my fingers itch to pick it up and toss it. I can’t do it. It’s a mom holding her child close to her. I need a male statue or something. I’ll explore after I’ve had my breakfast. I might not be so grumpy then and more rational.
“Morning,” I chirp when I pass a man I’ve seen many times. Normally he gives me a nod, but today, he quickly turns his eyes away from me. The hell.
I haven’t even done anything yet. Now people won’t acknowledge my existence. I can’t help but wonder if it’s some kind of a new order Bjornsson gave them. Another way of him trying to isolate me so that I give up the information he wants.
“Asshole,” I mutter under my breath.
The man takes my virginity and poof, he’s gone. I hate men. They’re all a bunch of jerks. I pick up my pace, renewed determination coursing through my veins. I’ll show these people what I’m made of. But first I need something to eat. I mean if I’m gonna cause chaos, I’ll need my energy.
I freeze when I hear the sound of a familiar voice. My heart starts to pound. Slowly I follow it but stop when I get to the end of the hallway. I press my back against the wall and try to listen.
“The girl's father wasn’t dead, but he is now.” It’s him.
“Santino didn’t kill him. That might be enough. It’s why the Bishop wanted Santino dead,” Lars responds. I’m so quiet I stop breathing.
“Santino ordered the killing of the girl's father. Soritz did it thinking he was going to be getting something out of the deal. All it got was him killed too.” Bjornsson's words are laced with anger.
Are they talking about Laurel's father? They have to be. I smirk, enjoying the news that the man is dead. His control over Laurel got crazier over time. I thought he was losing it. I know Laurel was trying to hide how bad her father was getting, but I’d seen the marks on her arms.
The last three times I’d gone to see her, he told me she was busy. Then poof and they disappeared. The building was even gone. Blown to pieces by Kane Santino after he bought it. If you can call it buying. What kind of shit was Laurel’s father into? I can’t even imagine the depths that that man would sink to.
“Santino did us all a favor by killing Soritz. It was only a matter of time before we would have had to step in. He’s been out of control for a while.”
“That may be true, but I wanted to kill the father myself.” They both grow quiet for a long moment. I wonder if they left.
“He’ll still want the two girls.” Lars finally speaks, breaking the silence.
“Santino will never allow that.” Wait, someone else is after Laurel?
“It’s only a matter of time before they realize who and where the other girl is. But you sullied her.”
Who is the other girl? Sullied?
Then it hits me. Oh, crap. I’m the other girl.
CHAPTER15
BJORNSSON
“They’re coming after you,”Santino tells me. His long legs are stretched out in front of him, and he appears at ease. He should be. We’re in an empty restaurant known to be Santino’s favorite place. I’m sure there are guns all over the place. A barrel is probably pointed at my head. Behind him are two guards, neither of whom look familiar. The henchman who was sleeping with the Soritz girl is nowhere to be seen. Santino must’ve cleaned house when he took out Soritz. On the table is a red steak and a glass of red wine. Singular because Santino never eats with the enemy. I’d say it’s against his religion, but I’m fairly sure he’s agnostic.
“Are you trying to turn me against the Church, Santino?” I ask. “What could be your motive?”
“For your own good, of course. My motives are completely pure, of course, and not filled with self-interest.” The corner of his mouth tilts up in part smirk and part wry amusement.
“Is that what you told Soritz before you killed him? That it was for his own good?”
“Fuck no. I told him I’d see him in hell. He tried to take my girl.”
“My understanding is that the girl had already been sold to Butcher Marks. Soritz was retrieving property for a friend.”
“Laurel is not property,” Santino growls. “And Marks won’t lay a hand on her while I’m still breathing.”
“Yes, we know that.” The Bishop’s orders were to dispose of Santino and return balance.
The other man grinds the back of his teeth together. “I’m not gonna sit here and say that I’m gonna beat you. I know you have a small army at the Abbey and that there are several factions in the city that hate me and would support you out of spite rather than loyalty to the Church, but I will take a lot of you down with me. With you maimed and me out of the picture, the whole territory will be thrown into chaos. I know you don’t want that, Bjornsson. You care too much about people here, so I suggest you find another alternative.”
