He makes a noise that I can’t discern. “We should meet face-to-face, girl, and discuss this sort of thing in person. It’s the proper thing to do.”
I want to tell him I don’t give a shit what is proper. I’m not going near him. Instead, I say, “No, thank you.”
His answering huff sounds a little like a laugh. “What are you offering?”
Technically, I don’t have a single thing to give him, but even I know admitting so isn’t good negotiation tactics. Instead, I flounder a bit, then say the first thing that pops into my head. “Money. I can offer you money.”
“Money, hmm…”
This time, I cover the mouthpiece as I take in a few nervous breaths. I hold steady and don’t respond, waiting for him to say more.
“I’ll help you out of this, girl, but it will cost you.”
“How much?”
This time, his laughter is dark, and it turns my stomach. “Twenty million and I’ll take care of your little problem.”
If he could see me, no doubt, he would have witnessed the blood draining from my face. He’s insane if he thinks anyone can pay that for doing nothing more than calling off his dogs. I can’t even counter the number since it’s so unreasonable.
But I try anyway. “How about one million and an agreement no one will come after your family for the atrocities you committed to one of ours.” It’s a down and dirty lie since I want all of them dead, Sal’s entire family, but he doesn’t need to know that. Adrian doesn’t like when people lie, but in this case…he might forgive me.
He laughs outright. “Girl, that woman was never yours, only your husband’s. Ask yourself why he likes to keep such a pretty woman around. Well, that’s probably obvious since you were never much to look at.”
I pull the phone away from my face and glare at it. Fucking bastard. Just because I wasn’t fawning over his son and his family, suddenly I’m ugly. No. He’s just trying to get a rise out of me. Along with his taunt about Andrea. I’m pretty sure both of them would rather gouge their own eyes out than sleep with each other.
“One million is my only and final offer.”
“Ten million,” he snaps, his breathing husky.
Gag.
Knowing what they will do with that money and who they will use it to buy, I can’t do it. I splay my fingers over my belly and shake my head. “No. One million is all I’m offering.”
“You called me, girl, not the other way around. I’m perfectly content to watch the council snuff out your entire lot. I’ll gladly sweep in, buy up the pieces, and destroy any legacy your husband might have left.” He spits the word husband like it’s something gross in his mouth.
“I’m not going to give you ten million to buy and sell more children on the black market. I just won’t do it.” I don’t need to explain myself to him at all. By this point, I should just hang out. I knew this was a bad idea in the first place. Except I had to try. For Adrian. For our family.
He laughs again, and then I hear others laugh. Of course he’s had me on speakerphone this entire time. They are all probably huddled around having a good laugh about my groveling to make a deal.
It doesn’t matter. I’ll sacrifice my pride to keep people safe if I have to. It means nothing to me anymore.
“I think we are done talking,” I say, keeping my tone light and calm.
“See you soon, girl,” he growls into the phone.
I hang up and lean back into the pillows again. During the call I’d sat up, intent on listening closely. I hadn’t even realized.
There’s a soft huff from the door, and I glance up to lock eyes with Adrian. His face is solemn, his eyes gentle as they meet mine. And for a second, there’s pride there.
Then he’s gone again, the doorway dark. I wrap my arms around myself and whisper a prayer of thanks that Sal’s family didn’t take my offer. Now, when they all die, I never lied to anyone. I won’t have that deceit on my soul.
Just their blood.
26
ADRIAN
No matter what I say or do, I can’t convince Valentina to run off and lay low either. She is determined to see things to the end with me. While I’m tempted to throw her on a plane and force her away, I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me if I did. And if by some miracle we make it out of this thing alive, I plan to live a very long and happy life with my wife. Which will be made easier by the fact she doesn’t hate me.
Right now, I’m trying to figure out how to ensure her safety because the council will no doubt try to use her against me. At the very least, they will threaten her safety to ensure my compliance—more like my confession, if they have their way.
It’s been two weeks since the summons, and the day is approaching quickly. I sit in my office, leaning back in the chair, my feet propped on the edge of the desk. My life is an aching hole right now without my people around me, and I worry about everyone’s safety. Feasibly, I can only worry about my own and Valentina’s, but it’s hard not to keep adding people to the mix the closer and closer they get to me.
Val walks into the office in a pair of jeans and a crisp white T-shirt. Like something out of a cleaning ad on TV. I drop my feet and give her a quick sweep with my eyes. “How are you feeling? Okay?”
She sits on the edge of the chair even as I ache to have her walk around and fold herself into my arms. “Nervous, I think. Not sick, though, if you’re asking about the baby.” Her hand automatically goes to her belly as if she can feel him growing there already.
I keep scanning her body from her head to her toes, looking for differences, but she looks the same. Her hair is still a beautiful riot of curls inviting my fingers to touch. Her body is still perfectly curved to fit my own.
“There is one thing we should talk about?” she says, drawing me away from my thoughts.
“Oh?”
“They are going to demand my presence at some point, right? At the very least to threaten you with. I feel like we need to update my wardrobe, make sure I fit in with you guys and look the part. Most of what I’ve stocked in the closet is soccer mom chic. Comfortable, but doesn’t exactly scream sophistication.”
“Do you think it will help?”
She shrugs, tugging on the edge of her T-shirt. “I don’t know. At the very least, it might help me play the part I’m supposed to play. Might help me tap into the feral creature I heard Kai call me the other day.” She laughs, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“He wasn’t insulting you or else…”
She waves my concern away. “No, that’s not what I’m upset about. I just worry about you, and I don’t know what to expect. Things are starting to be okay again, and of course something has to come along and ruin it. I’m starting to think I’m not built for happy endings.”
I heave out of the chair, skirt my desk, and hold out my hand for her to take. “Let’s go shopping, Angel.”
As we leave the penthouse and head to the car, Kai following close behind, I think she’s relieved to be outside. While I fear exposing her to the opportunity for kidnapping or worse…she seems to need this.