Page 90 of His Cursed Heart

Hanibal gifted Vincent this panther on his first birthday. He says that his son deserves the world.

Something we both agree on.

Vincent's little snore makes me smile and when I put his pajama on, he hugs Scarface's tail and sleeps like the world will never end.

For the next hour I put the new clothes in his wardrobe, the toys and comics in his mini library, putting some stickers on the walls.

It looks like someone threw up all the Marvel universe in here.

I hear a knock on the door and I turn and face Everette. He looks around the room with curious eyes and then his gaze lands on me. With a last glance at Vincent, I leave his room and look at my husband. He has dark circles under his eyes and his face looks pale.

"Have you had any sleep? You look like a zombie." I ask him directly. His faint smile does something to my heart.

"Ah, the love my wife gives me." I raise one eyebrow at him and he shakes his head. Everette takes my right hand in his and without other words he leads me to his office.

My blood froze in my body. Either he knows, either he likes to play with me.

He closes the door behind me and he goes to his bar to pour a glass of his favorite scotch.

"Don't look so scared, Althea. I just want to ask you something." But he looks angry. Like he wants to put a bullet through someone.

I walk closer to him and I look up to meet his eyes. The most beautiful green I've ever seen. His sigh makes me look at him again. His forehead is full of wrinkles and his hair is a mess.

"Then ask and stop making me nervous." I say in a low voice.

"I'm trying to calm myself, Althea, because I made some connections and if they're true, I'll lose my damn mind." My hands tremble and I can feel my heart beating against my chest.

"Keaton," His other name feels wrong on my lips.

"Days ago, Enrique mentioned something." My heart stops.

No, no, no.

Everette looks at me and he sees my wide eyes and I know he hears how my breathing has slowed. His body begins to tremble and he slams the glass on the table, making me flinch.

"What happened on your twenty-first birthday?" His low voice makes it harder for me to hear, but I did. I hear it like he screamed it.

I back down a little and my inside feels too hot. I'm going to kill that fucker Enrique even if it's the last thing I'll do.

A cold sensation runs through my body and I feel my head throbbing. He doesn't know so he's asking me in the hope that I'll answer him.

He doesn't know.

This is the beginning of chaos, Althea. Tell him.

I can't.

My throat closes up and I can't think. I just feel. And it's worse.

I feel them.

After so long, I feel the cold and disgusting sensations that I've been running since I was eighteen.

"Breathe, Althea." I hear Everette ordering me.

He doesn't know.

You are safe here, figlia mia, amore mio.

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