AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is that why you weren’t there for Aurora? Your best friend?” The blood in my veins freezes at his words. Literally turns to ice. It’s almost as if my body shuts down and time slows; I sit down in the nearest chair, hands shaking as panic seizes my body. “You don’t know, do you? This is priceless.”
“What do you—”
“Aurora’s gone missing, Aliana. Taken right outside of the Conte House, and she’s God knows where now. Not that I care.” He shrugs before stretching his jaw, wincing a bit. Whoever did this to him got him good—I’d thank them if I could function. Is this why Callum has gone missing? But why not tell me himself? “Better for me if the little bitch and her new family are far from you. The Jamesons have cost me enough trouble with the Gaspar’s boss.”
“How can you be so cold?” Tears fall from my eyes and my chest aches, the pain intensifying. “You disgust me.”
“I’d watch that mouth if I were you. The Gaspar men don’t tolerate that in their women. Then again, maybe that’s what you need. Someone to smack the rebellion out of you.”
“Leave,” I say, voice low and shaky. “Leave, and don’t come back.”
“Fine. Have it your way.” My father stands and after tossing the soiled pack of peas on the floor by my feet, he grabs his jacket and slips it on. He fixes his lapel, buttons the front, and walks over with the calmness of a monk. For a moment or two, he stands there silently; I feel his angry gaze on me, but then two fingers appear in my line of sight and my face is tipped upward.
The asshole smiles down at me, happy in my misery.
“I wish you weren’t my father.”
“And yet, you’re stuck.” Those same two fingers tap my cheek hard. “You will marry Flavio Gaspar and save your family, Aliana Camila Rubens. You will not fight me on this. You will spread your legs when he wishes. And you will continue to steal what we decide.”
“So that he doesn’t kill you? What does he know that you don’t want getting out?” I strain my head back in time and he misses, the slap meant for my face catching nothing but air. He tries again, but my front door slams open and Giannis rushes in with Dwayne in tow.
“I was just leaving.”
“You do that, Mr. Rubens,” Giannis steps between us, and I catch sight of a small line of stitches over his right eyebrow. There’s also a wrap around his wrist. Did someone come after him, too? “Your driver is waiting outside.”
“Listen to him. Leave.” Dwayne takes a step closer to me as well. “It’s the smart move, and you know it.”
“Of course. I’ll be on my way.” Dad eyes Dwayne and rethinks his attempt to lean down and kiss my cheek. Any other time, it’d be funny to watch him bend and stand like a scared puppet, but I’m shaking hard in my seat, gripping each armrest tightly. “We’ll be in touch, Aliana. Just remember what I said: you are a Rubens, and the weight of making amends lies on your shoulders alone.”
The door closes after him a few seconds later. We remain quiet.
That is, until I get up and run to the bathroom, emptying the liquid in my stomach. I’m dry heaving so bad, crying, and the bitter taste of bile only makes it worse.
“Tell me it’s a lie,” I whimper, begging Giannis. “Tell me he’s just a lying piece of garbage.”
“I’m sorry, Ali.” Giannis holds my hair back from my face with his uninjured hand. “We heard, and once the doctor gave me the okay, I came right over.”
It took a while for the nausea to abate and my stomach to stop clenching as if still heaving, but it did, and I stand on shaky legs. He helps me a bit, and I walk over to the sink after flushing the toilet to brush my teeth.
“What happened to you?” I’m watching him through the mirror, my body leaning heavily on the cabinet. The tears won’t stop. The tightness in my chest won’t lessen any time soon.
Giannis chuckles a bit, rubbing the back of his neck with his other hand. “Small fender-bender. I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” I’m still a bit queasy but manage to get a grip on myself and walk out of the room. The living room is empty, Dwayne nowhere to be seen. “Where’s—”
“Making sure your dad left.”
“Thanks.”
“She’s going to be okay. They’ll find her.”
“They?” Please tell me Casper and Callum know where she is.
“The Jameson family,” he whispers, pulling me into a tight hug. Tears fill my eyes, relief settling into my bones. “They know where she is, Ali. They’ll bring her home.”
