Chapter Thirty-Three

Larissa

It took me a few days to feel like I was human again. It was hard to fathom Amon was dead. He'd been my tormentor for so long.

"You look deep in thought," Caspian said as he joined me in the flower garden.

I turned and smiled up at him. I still couldn't get over how handsome he was—all three of them—and they were mine as much as I was theirs.

I inhaled the heady fragrance of the flowers in full bloom. The garden was beautiful—my favorite place. "I've always loved walking here. The garden is very peaceful." I studied him for a moment, knowing something was on his mind. "You have news," I guessed.

"The Romanian government located the castle where Amon took you. He apologized that it took so long to locate, but their resources were limited. He promised they would have Nadine in custody by the end of the day."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Then it will be truly over."

"Yes. Are you okay?"

They were treating me like I was fragile, which was far from the truth. "I'm doing better now that I'm with you three, but I've been neglecting my father. I'm going to see him this morning."

"We'll have Jason drive you."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Now that the threats have been eliminated, I don't need a driver. I want my own vehicle so I can come and go as I please."

"Just humor us," he pleaded. "Besides, our enemies wouldn't hesitate to harm you."

I supposed I could understand where he was coming from. They weren't saints. "Okay, fine, but I still want my own vehicle."

"You'll have to renew your driver's license, and you might have to retake the test," he reminded me.

My heart sank. I hated taking the first one. Parallel parking had been a bitch. "That's so not fair. I'd hated taking that blasted test the first time."

He hugged me close, laughing. "You'll do just fine." He kissed me on the top of my head before releasing me. "You do know how much we love you, right?"

"I do."

"Tell your father I said hello."

"I will." I hurried upstairs and freshened up. When I came back down, Jason was waiting for me out front. Before I could get into the car, Ezra came outside and handed me a phone. He explained how it worked, even though I had one when I was kidnapped. It was only a little different from my last one.

"Now you can keep in touch with us. If you need anything at all, call one of us. We're on speed dial. Just hit number one, two, or three."

I kissed him before I got in the car. "I'm not made of sugar. I won't melt."

Right before I stepped inside, I saw the wicked gleam in his eyes. "I don't know, you taste pretty sweet to me."

Ezra did not have to put that vision in my head. My guys were more than a little naughty. I loved every minute of it.

I slipped the phone into my pocket and leaned back against the seat. I realized Caspian had been right to send me with Jason. This was the same route I had taken the night Amon took me.

A cold chill ran down my spine. Ridiculous, of course. Amon was dead, and Nadine would be in jail by this afternoon. I was safe. I still didn't completely relax until we pulled up in front of my house.

My father came out to greet me. He already knew everything we'd done and that Amon and the men who worked with him were dead. What he didn't know was that I was involved in their deaths. As far as I was concerned, he would never know.

We wandered through the house as I familiarized myself with everything. It was funny, he hadn't changed a thing. Even my room was exactly the same: canopy bed, pale pink walls, a cute little vanity with makeup lined up across it. There was a framed picture of the brothers on the chest of drawers. Everything was the same. I looked at him, wondering why. He must've read my thoughts.

He walked over and picked up a picture of me in my cheerleading uniform. "You were so proud to have been selected as a cheerleader." He turned and looked at me. "Remember how hard you practiced? You knew all the cheers by heart."

I nodded.

"You never once gave up." His forehead wrinkled. "I never felt as though you were gone. I always thought I would feel something. You were my child, the most precious person in my life, but something didn't feel right. I figured it was because your body, at least what we thought was your body, had burned beyond recognition. I never felt the kind of closure I had after your mother passed."

He waved his arm around the room, tears in his eyes. I waited for him to pull himself together. I knew he needed this more than anything. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his eyes.

"I think I always hoped you would come back to me," he finally said.

I hurried to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. "You'll never lose me again."

We walked back downstairs, then sat outside. I got my love of the outdoors from my father. He always said why stay cooped up inside when you could enjoy the fresh air.

We talked, getting to know each other all over again. He told me about his travels abroad and his thriving business. Funny, but I'd never thought about how much money he had growing up. He spoiled me like most parents do their children, but he also taught me about respect and giving back.

"Thank you for being the kind of father some people only dream about having." I reached across and squeezed his hand.

"Was I a good father?" He drew in a deep breath. "I often wondered if I had been."

I smiled. "If I could've chosen any father in the world, I would've still picked you."

We continued talking and relaxing outside. He knew I would be living with the brothers from now on. He was fine with that since he traveled a lot for business. He said he would not have to worry about me. I had the best father in the whole wide world.

"Why didn't you remarry after mom died," I asked when it was almost time for me to leave. "You were still a young man. I don't think I ever remember you even dating."

He shrugged. "I had you and my work. That's all I needed. But you're wrong about me never going out on a date. I did."

I looked at him with surprise. "You did? Why did I never know about it?"

"I didn't want you to be hurt, and I was afraid you would be."

"I would've understood. You're still a young man. If you want to go out with someone, I would be fine with it."

He smiled tenderly. "Maybe I will."

He walked me out to the car when it was time for me to leave. Jason opened the door. I started to get in, then changed my mind at the last moment and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, kitten."

As we drove off, Jason spoke. "Did you enjoy your day?"

"Very much. Thank you for driving me."

"My pleasure."

I leaned back against the seat, feeling more relaxed than I had in a long time. It was a good day. My father looked relaxed and happy. I hoped he would start dating, maybe find a nice woman…

A thumping noise rocked the car.

I flinched, drawing in a sharp breath. My eyes met Jason's in the rearview mirror. I didn't relax until he smiled.

"No need to worry. We must have picked up a nail. It's not unusual on these country roads. I'll pull over and change the tire, then we'll be on our way again." Jason eased to the side of the road, then got out.

Still, I couldn't stop the niggle of worry as it worked its way up my spine, which was ridiculous. There was no one out to get me anymore. I was safe with Jason.

The thundering explosion of a gunshot reverberated all around me. I heard Jason grunt, and then there was a thump. Ice-cold fear washed over me. No, this wasn't happening again. Amon was dead! I'd killed him myself. I watched him take his last breath!

I flung the car door open and jumped out. Nadine walked toward me, gun in hand. I started backing up, shaking my head. They were supposed to be arresting her today.

No, not again! I was never going to be a fucking victim again! I turned to run. The blast from the gun echoed again. Burning pain shot through my leg, then I was falling. The breath was knocked out of me when I hit the road.

"Caspian, Ezra, Jude, please save me," I said.

"No one will save you this time," Nadine said as she shoved the cloth over my face.

Darkness filled my space.

I don't know how long I was unconscious. All I knew was that my arms were aching, and there was a burning pain in my lower leg. For a moment, I thought I was back with Amon, but then my mind cleared.

My eyes flew open, and I looked around. I was in a barn. My wrists were tied, and I was hanging from a chain attached to a hook on a rafter. I was also completely naked. There was a musty, stale scent hanging heavily in the air, as though the barn hadn't been used in a very long time.

I turned my head as much as possible, and my gaze connected with Nadine's hard glare.

"You were supposed to be back at the castle," I accused her. I tried to wiggle away as she stepped closer, but it was useless.

"You should've known I would never leave Amon. I've always protected him." Her eyebrows drew together. "I'm not sure he ever appreciated that I did. He shouldn't have tried to send me away, though. I could have protected him this time as well." Her face turned red and mottled as she faced me. "Then maybe you wouldn't have murdered him!"

"He kidnapped me, then tortured me, and you helped him. He's burning in hell, and you won't be far behind him. The brothers will come after me."

She cackled. "They don't know where you are. By the time they find you, you'll be dead. You see, I don't want to train you. I only want to kill you after I've made you suffer for what you did to my Amon."

Cold chills washed over me in waves. I silently prayed they would find me before it was too late.

Nadine walked closer, circling behind me. She lightly ran her hand down my back and over my ass. "He used to fuck lots of women. They adored him. He was the most sought-after bachelor in town. He always appreciated a beautiful woman. That was why he was so angry when I marked your back."

I had to keep her talking. I had to give the brothers enough time to find me, and I knew they were looking. "Were you jealous of me?"

She walked back around to the front. Her expression confused as she thought about my question. "Maybe, a little. Women like you have always treated me like shit, as if I was nothing to them." Her laugh was bitter. "Why should they care what I thought? I was the ugly older sister. The one no one paid any attention to, unless it was to sneer at me, but I taught them a lesson. If he got too close to one, I made sure she disappeared. I loved torturing the bitches before I slit their throats. They weren't nearly as pretty when I finished with them."

"But then there was the accident, and he didn't have anyone for you to torture."

She met my gaze. "He was all mine after that, at least, for a little while. I nursed him back to health. I made plans. We had enough money to buy a little place and live the rest of our lives peacefully. Far away from our father's world. I never did like our father. He used to beat me and tell me how ugly I was. Sometimes, Amon would catch the brunt of his anger, but not as often as I did. Amon was going to be his mirror image."

She laughed again, that evil, high-pitched sound that could only come from someone who'd lost their mind. I could tell she was lost in her thoughts right now. I didn't say a word. I barely breathed. I wanted time to pass, but the seconds were ticking by so slowly.

"Amon almost died, you know, in the explosion. It took away his manhood. He couldn't fuck anything after that, even if he'd tried. Revenge burned deep inside him. That's all he could think about day and night. He never shut the fuck up about it. He bought that stupid castle in Romania. It was crumbling, cold, and drafty. I hated living there. I hated it even more when he brought you home."

"I did nothing to you. I never deserved any of this."

She shrugged. "Guilt by association. I knew he enjoyed looking at you naked. That's why he kept your clothes. Yes, he kidnapped you, but he knew that he could never have you. He had a love, hate relationship with you."

She ran her hands down my breasts and over my hips. I tried to wiggle away, but she only laughed.

"You do have a beautiful body. Almost perfect, except for the lashes I gave you with the whip."

"Why did you?"

"Because he loved you more than he loved me! I devoted my life to my little brother! What did I get in return? He sent me back to the castle. But I fooled him. I didn't leave. I knew you would kill him, but he couldn't see what I saw."

"He was evil."

She shrugged. "I know that. Something happened to him after the explosion. All he could think about was getting even with the Morelli family. Of course, the old man died." She laughed. "A fucking heart attack. God, Amon was furious the day he found out. I loved seeing him take his anger out on you. I tried to convince him to kill you, then send you back to the brothers in small pieces. I thought he would, but then he changed his mind at the last fucking minute. If he hadn't, he would still be alive."

"So why do you hate me so much? I never hurt you, and Amon never cared about me. You know, the only thing he cared about was revenge."

"I hate you because you're everything that I'm not," she screamed at me. "Do you think I wanted to look like this? No man ever looked at me like they look at you. You have the brothers twisted around your little finger. They adore you. You're their sweetheart. You're perfect."

I shook my head as much as I could. "But don't you see? I'm not perfect. I'm far from it. I make mistakes all the time."

She walked over to a table and picked up a whip. "They love you because you're beautiful. Beautiful people always win. You won't be beautiful anymore when I'm through with you."

"You're wrong. They'll always love me."

I tried to prepare myself for the first sting of the lash when she walked behind me, but nothing could prepare me for the burning pain as it sliced open my back. My scream echoed through the barn. Before I could recover from that one, she struck again. Again, I screamed.

"Please, stop. Don't do this."

"No, you have to die."

"They'll kill you for this. They'll never stop hunting you."

She walked back around to the front, facing me. Tears ran down my cheeks. My body trembled with the pain she'd already inflicted.

"I don't care. My life is nothing without my brother. As soon as I finish with you, I'll kill myself. I'll join him in Hell so that I can continue taking care of him."

I realized just how crazy Nadine was and that I stood no chance against her. I was going to die in this dusty, dirty barn. There wasn't a damn thing I could do about it except pray they found me before that happened.