Page 53 of Regal Queen

"You were paid an insane amount of money to lie to Valentino, so I don't want to hear your excuses," I hissed. "I should have you killed for this."

"Please." James leaned forward, showing desperation for the first time. "I don't know what's happening, but I swear to you, I can fix this. I’ll do anything. Just tell me what to do."

"Are you confused about what’s happening because you thought I was at the bottom of the ocean, feeding the fishes, Father?"

“No." He shook his head. "I didn't know what had happened to you, I swear.”

"Lie," I hissed, staring him down with all the vehemence and hatred I felt for him. "You didn't care what happened to me. You sold me off like I was a fucking dog that you'd grown tired of, and you didn't look back."

“No, Rose," he licked his lips. "Let me explain."

"You didn't even give me a warning!" I slammed my hand on the desk, then pointed at him. "You didn't give a shit that he used to beat me." I held up my finger, the one with the missing tip. "You didn't give a fuck about me. As long as you got back your money for the 'investment' of raising me, you were happy. And then, when Dimitri offered you more money to set up a meet for Aster, I bet you didn't even ask him why, did you?"

He shook his head. “Of course I didn't. This is the Petrovs we're talking about. You don’t just ask them questions."

"You didn't even ask yourself, did you?" My voice was low and deadly, and James' throat bobbed.

"I see that that was wrong now." He slid forward to the edge of his seat, sweat pouring down the side of his face. His cheeks were red and stretched thin, "Please, let me prove myself to you. I swear I can make up for this." He licked his lips again. "I can call Valentino, I can make different arrangements. Just let me try.”

I shook my head. "No."

"Wha--what?" he stammered, sliding onto his knees and shuffling forward so that he was pressed to the desk between us. He reached his hand forward, his palm upwards in a gesture of surrender, of pleading. "Please."

I just stared down at it with a disgusted look, then gave him a cool gaze. "What the hell do you expect me to do with that?"

He jerked it back, pressing his fingers into the edge now. "Please, Rose. Tell me what I can do. I swear to you, I can make up for this."

I just stared him down for a long moment, saying nothing, hoping that he was shitting in his pants. Then I jerked my head towards Knight.

"No!" James cried out, and Knight reached down, grabbing the back of James' shirt, he yanked him to his feet.

"No!" james yelped again, panic in his voice. I didn't say anything as Knight reached into James' suit pocket, pulling out his phone. Then he let James go, who crumpled to the floor with a low squeak. Knight lowered the phone to James. "Put in your fingerprint." At James' hesitation, Knight growled out. "Or I'll cut it off you.”

James immediately reached forward, presing his finger there to turn on his phone. Knight looked bored as he thumbed through James' phone until he found what he wanted. He lowered the phone again, showing it to James.

"Transfer everything to Rose."

"Everything?!"

Knight shrugged. "You don't have to."

The threat was clear. Transfer it or have it happen after you were dead. James' choice.

Sighting heavily, James grabbed the phone. Knight pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to James: all the information James would need to transfer his money to my account.

It took a few minutes, then James tossed his phone to Knight. “It's done."

Knight caught the phone with one hand, then slammed his other fist against James' face. James fell backwards with a surprised yelp. Knight stepped so that he was standing over James, and he leaned down, a gun in his hand.

He put it to James' head with an eerie calmness. "You don't seem to understand the position you're in, because you're not showing Rose the respect afforded a woman in her position."

"I'm sorry." James looked really scared now, and even I could see from here the red dot on the gun, indicating the safety was off.

Knight stared him down, his finger twitchy on the trigger and a dead look on his eye. "Apologize to Rose."

James' eyes moved to me. “I apologize."

Knight dug the gun in deeper, growling. "Apologize for being a piece of shit father who sold the woman he was supposed to raise to the man who killed her whole family."

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