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I resist fidgeting under her stare.
She sighs. “I suppose it’s fine. But only for tonight. Understand?”
My stomach drops, but I nod. “Of course.”
“Do you know what brought them back so soon?”
“I think I heard Mr. Vilulf had to tend to a matter.”
She has a calculated look in her eyes. One I’ve seen before when she was still in charge of running the crime scene of New York.
“Is something wrong, Grandmama?”
“What? No, nothing at all.” She waves her hand. “You may retire to your room.”
Thank god I had something to eat before I came over here. I make my way to the stairway. Just as I’m about to go up, I hear Grandmama call out for one of her maids.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Bring me my phone.”
“Right away, ma’am.”
Curiosity gets the best of me, so I set my bag down and quietly make my way back toward the living room. I’ve never been more thankful for Grandmama’s dimly lit hallway and gaudy decorations than I am now as I slip behind one of the massive vases she imported from Japan. I’ve used this trick many times and have never been caught.
The maid comes back with Grandmama’s phone in hand before rushing away just as fast. Grandmama makes slow work of punching the numbers before dialing. Odd. Who is she calling that’s not on her contacts list? She speaks rapidly in Norwegian, so I don’t catch every word. I understand enough to know that she’s angry at someone, saying they were supposed to get the job done. There’s a pause and then she tells the person on the other end of the line that the plan will have to wait since Odin has returned. Not Odin and mother. Just Odin. Unease creeps through me. Why say just Odin’s name?
She ends the call and then dials someone else, this time putting the call on speakerphone. Peeking around the corner, I see her filing her nails as she waits for whoever it is to answer.
“Hello?”
“Selma, my dearest daughter. I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Mother giggles. “Odin, stop. My mother is on the phone.”Ick.She continues, “Of course you’re not interrupting, Mother. Is everything okay?”
“Anna just arrived on my doorstep saying you’ve returned. I had no idea you were coming back early.”
Mother sighs. “Yes, it’s unfortunate, but Odin had to take care of something. He promises he’ll make it up to me.”
“I should hope so. One week is not long enough to conceive the next heir to the Vilulf empire.”
My breath hitches. I’m a terrible fucking person, and I’ll have to come to terms with that. For now, the guilt of what I’ve done just may eat me alive.
Mother says, “Well, we certainly gave it our all. He can hardly keep his hands off me.”
My guilt turns into hurt as I try in vain not to picture the two of them together. Does he call her his treasure, too? No! I donotneed to think about that! And I certainly don’t want to know the answer.
“Did he live up to his reputation in the bedroom?”
Mother chuckles softly. “He did. The man is insatiable.”
Oh my god. Am I going to feel every emotion known to man during this conversation? Because I’m definitely feeling rage now.
“I’m glad to hear it. I know your marriage with Oaken wasn’t very pleasurable in the bedroom.”
I freeze at the mention of my father.
“The man could hardly keep it up. It’s no wonder we could barely conceive.” She scoffs. “And what a disappointment that child ended up being. You should have let me drown her at birth.”
