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We make it back to my apartment in good time, and Niccolo follows me upstairs. I can’t hear anything through the front door as I unlock it. My men are stationed on either side of the door as I sweep in, the Irish posted in the living room. Their eyes are locked on the hall that leads to Cara’s bedroom, but they snap to me as soon as I walk in.
“Have any trouble?” I ask lightly, twirling my keys around my finger. My men exchange looks, grimacing.
“Just a lot of noise,” one reports. “I have no idea what she was doing in there, but it didn’t sound good.”
I frown. “And none of you went and checked on her?”
They glanced at each other again. “We didn’t want to risk her trying to escape.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake….” I stalk towards Cara’s room, unlocking the door. I half expect it to go flying open, but there’s nothing. No sound. No movement.
Fearing the worst, I open the door.
And find the room completely trashed. Feathers spill across the beige carpet, torn from the pillows and mixing with the stuffing from the duvet. The rug is tossed into a corner, and the bed frame has been broken. Cara sits in the center of the room, chest heaving as she glares daggers my way. She looks like a little hellion, her hair a tangled mess, her face tinged pink, eyes wild.
I quickly wipe any hint of surprise off my face, slamming down a mental wall before she deciphers what I’m thinking or feeling. She only did this to get a reaction out of me, and I won’t give her the fucking satisfaction. Coldly, I look around the room before my eyes land on her again.
“I should punish you for this,” I say, deadly calm. “But I think it’ll be punishment enough for you to live in the mess you’ve made.”
Cara’s cheeks flush red. But I’m not finished.
Sneering, I look down at her with nothing but cold contempt. “Don’t test my patience, Cara. I don’tneedto keep my promise anymore. I can and will fuck you before we make it to the alter if you keep this up.”
Her mouth snaps shut, fingers curling into fists in her lap. “Fuck you,” she spits.
I smirk. “That’s the plan, darling.” Before she can say another word, I shut the door again, locking it. Let her sit in her mess. I don’t give a shit. If she wants to throw my kindness back in my face, then so be it. She’ll learn soon enough who holds all the power. And, if this wedding is going to happen regardless of her father’s lies, then she’ll have to learn her place.
34
CARA
Ihaven’t said a word to Killian since he threatened to break the promise after I destroyed my room. The same destroyed room he forced me to sleep in last night. I half expected him to keep me locked up today, despite the fact that I had class. But, surprisingly, he’d woken me up, telling me to get dressed for class like I was a middle school kid rather than a full-grown adult.
Two of my men accompanied us to Columbia, and that’s been the only solace I’ve had through this whole ordeal. Killian’s man, Niccolo, is the one to drive us, and I’m surprised to recognize three other faces in the enormous SUV. The Arco brothers shoot me a smile as I slip into the furthest seat from the front, clutching my bag to my chest.
Cain immediately starts talking to Killian in hushed tones, while Archer sits like stone beside him. Seems like I got the whole entourage for today. But I don’t feel protected—I feel like I’m seven years old again, surrounded by my father’s security detail just to take me to school. I hate it. Already I miss the freedom I’d had before. At least none of them actually try to follow me to class once we get there.
I’m still fuming as I walk towards class, three of Killian’s men and two of my own trailing after me. I spot more posted around my class’s building, all of them dressed down to blend in. I try to ignore them as I head down the park-like path that leads to Dodge Hall.
“Cara!” Sadie’s voice carries over the lawn. I turn, waiting for her to catch up. She had class across from my building, at Pulitzer Hall. In all the chaos, I’d forgotten she’d be waiting for me here like usual.
“Hey.” I try to smile. I really do. But everything has gone to shit, and I just can’t bring myself to even fake being happy in front of her.
Sadie slows, stopping beside me. “Are you alright? I heard about the fire at your father’s office. You didn’t return any of our calls….” Her eyes trail over my shoulder, landing on the five men standing just a few feet behind me. “Who the hell are they?”
“They,” I sigh, starting down the path again, “are my new bodyguards.”
Sadie’s eyes widen. “But—why? What happened?”
I hesitate as we walk side-by-side. Just the thought of lying to her again makes me feel sick inside. I’m tired of all the half-truths, of keeping this side of my life from my best friends. I miss talking to them, and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep all of this to myself. But I can’t tell Sadie the whole truth—or anyone from this world. It’s the one thing I had left after my father’s betrayal, the one thing I can still at least try to hold on to before everything goes to shit. Eventually, they might have to know someday. But not now.
“My father…got involved in some shady shit. A get-rich-quick scheme with some bad people. Now they’re threatening him. Hence the little guard detail. And the not-so-friendly fire at his office.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Just a few embellishments. An omission of truth rather than a complete betrayal.
Except…that’s exactly what my father did. I try not to grimace, keeping a straight face as we near Broadway.
“Oh Jesus, I’m so sorry, Cara. Is your dad alright?”
“He’s…fine. He got out in time.” It doesn’t surprise me that she’s heard about the attack or that the media is reporting it as a fire. I’m sure Owen was all over that to contain the truth.
