Page 1 of Blind Sin

1

LUCINDA

“Where is she?” I’ve never stood up to my father before. I would rather die than not know where Lauren is. She’s part of my soul. Without her, I’m nothing. My whole body is trembling with terror, but it’s nowhere close to matching the anger I feel as I sit with my father in the Breakfast Room at Waldgrave House.

My father, Peter Waldgrave, barely looks up from his morning newspaper. “It doesn’t matter where she is. All that matters is getting back to normal and letting this little adventure of yours die down. It’s worked out well for the movie. It’s selling out all over America. The public is obsessed with you.” My father's callousness would astound most people, but I’ve had twenty years to get used to it. He might as well be talking about the weather and not about the fact that his other daughter is gone for all the fucks he gives.

I slam my fist down on the immaculately laid out table, rattling the crockery and cutlery. The two servants standing at the wall behind my father, waiting to cater to his every whim, flinch slightly but they don’t dare to glance our way. They know what’s coming. All my father’s staff have seen him beat me black and blue plenty of times and never has a single one done anything to stop it. Not once.

“Fuck the movie, Father.” It’s the first time I’ve ever sworn in his presence and my nerves are on edge.

“Lucinda Waldgrave,” he warns, his voice low and sinister. Despite my frayed nerves, I rest my hand back on the table. Years of conditioning have taught me that raising my voice again will cause a raised fist and I can’t help Lauren if I’m in a hospital bed.

“She was taking up too much of your time anyway,” he continues as he spears a piece of grapefruit from his bowl. “You are America’s Sweetheart and after that little stunt you just pulled, the entire country wants you. Just make sure that none of them have you. Who do you belong to, Lucinda?”

A wave of nausea grips my stomach, threatening to overwhelm me, yet I manage to muster the habitual response. “You, Daddy.”

He gives a slight reassured nod. “I’ve lined up a number of eligible bachelors for you to meet. This recent escapade of yours hasn’t harmed us, but I want people to think past this ridiculous kidnapping. They need to see you happy now. Smiling.”

He looks up and smiles, sending a chill through my heart. A smile from my father isn’t the same as when normal, sane people smile. My father doesn’t understand joy, only power.

I keep my gaze locked to his cold eyes. “Then tell me where Lauren is. I can’t be happy without her.”

“Not Hollywood types this time,” he says, turning back to his paper and ignoring me. “I think Matt Deniver has served his purpose. He was out with some drugged up wannabe while he should have been pouring his heart out to the media over you.”

I dismissively shake my head, “Matt isn't interested in me, and I doubt he was out with anyone. He's gay, but so deeply closeted that he's practically buried among mothballs.”

My father finally puts down his paper and lifts his nose. “Then he's undoubtedly not suitable for you. We require someone who will respect me, appreciate you, but not excessively so. Just the right amount.” Glancing at his extravagant two-hundred-thousand-dollar watch, he returns his attention to the financial pages. “You'll meet prospective candidates at the Ritz Carlton in Manhattan tomorrow, starting at eleven. Interviews will be conducted throughout the day. My secretary will be present to take notes, facilitating my decision on the most suitable match for you. Additionally, one of my associates will keep a vigilant eye on you to ensure there's no repetition of your previous escapade.” With crystal clarity, I see my whole future mapped out for me. I can’t even date without my father choosing who and when or where. I don’t even know why he’s bothering to go to the expense of bringing New York’s most eligible bachelors to meet me. He could just pick one and tell the world that he’s my new boyfriend and no one would be the wiser. I’ll never find real love, just one endless charade after another.

My heart is burning with pain. Lauren loved me.

Loves me.

She has to be alive still.

My hands shake as I reach for the newspaper, and with a sudden burst of rage, I tear it from my father's hands. The sound of ripping paper echoes throughout the room as I throw it to the ground. The bowl on the table rattles and joins the paper, smashing to the ground. The sound of shattering bone china and splattering grapefruit fills the room, but it’s nothing to the pounding of blood in my ears.

There’s a screech of wood on wood as my father flings his chair back and stands at my sudden outburst, his face contorted with anger. “On your knees,” he demands. His voice is cool, logical, terrifying. There’s not a hint of emotion in it at all.

My body starts to obey, knowing that not doing as he asks will only make it worse. My knees shake as I lower to the floor. I’m barely down before he has hold of my neck and is forcing my face to the ground with such force that my forehead collides with the hard wood sending a shockwave of pain through my skull. A sharper pain tells me that a shard of the china bowl has pierced my skin just above my right eyebrow.

“Apologize, Lucinda.”

My head is swimming and my throat is dry as I rasp out a sorry.

He lifts his hand from my neck and replaces it with his foot, pressing my face down harder into the broken bowl. Red blood mingles with the grapefruit syrup.

“Again!”

“I’m sorry, Daddy!”

My father leans down, his hot breath tickling my ear. “That’s not good enough, Lucinda. You need to learn your place. You’re nothing without me, remember that.”

I close my eyes and try to block out the pain and the humiliation, but it’s impossible. The years of pent-up rage explode within me, and I don’t care anymore. With all my strength, I push myself up, knocking his foot aside.

I meet his furious gaze with my own. “Tell me where she is!” I demand, my voice hoarse from the strain.

He doesn’t answer, and before I can react, he grabs me by the hair and yanks me backwards, sending me sprawling onto the ground. I hear him stalk out of the room, followed quickly by his two lackeys, leaving me alone and dripping with blood.

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