Page 66 of Tower

Fuck. Peter took a deep breath.

“What? What’s going on?” Azalea pulled free of Peter’s grip.

“Azalea…” How to tell her? He needed more time, more information to show her.

“I don’t think Bellatrix is your real mother.” Peter turned around to face her.

Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened. “What? Why?”

“Well, you don’t look anything like her,” Daniel offered.

Peter would kick him later for that.

“So? She told me I took after my father,” Azalea quickly stated. “Look, whatever it is, we’ll ask her.” She touched Peter’s chest. “I’m not going anywhere today.” A promise. A vow.

After a long moment of hesitation, Peter nodded and led her to Ash’s office. Daniel followed, and Johnny was already stationed outside the office.

Peter pushed the office door open, and they both filed inside.

Bellatrix, though carrying a few more wrinkles than the pictures in her house showed, didn’t seem to have aged. Her dark, wavy hair hung loose around her face. Makeup perfectly applied.

“Oh! Azalea!” Bellatrix flung her arms open but didn’t step toward her daughter.

“Mother.” Azalea waited a beat then walked into her mother’s arms.

“I was so worried!” Bellatrix looked over Azalea’s shoulder at Peter, her eyes narrowing.

“I’m fine. I’m good,” Azalea said, pulling back. When she tried to move away, Bellatrix grabbed her hand, holding it the way a mother might hold a child’s hand to cross the road. But the grip was tighter. Had more purpose.

“When Santos finally told me what was going on, I came right home.”

“Everything is okay,” Azalea said again, looking back at Peter.

“Santos told me you took her, that you found her locked up in her room and took her. I should thank you. Santos shouldn’t have locked her door. He—acted poorly.” Bellatrix focused her attention on Peter.

The other men in the room stood along the wall with their hands folded in front of them. Trained monkeys waiting for the witch to give them leave to fly.

“I have some questions for you.” Peter ignored the stare of the men and walked around Ash’s desk.

“I have a few for you myself.” Bellatrix gave a forced giggle.

“Mine first,” Peter said coolly. He wasn’t buying the motherly act. It was poorly executed, but Azalea seemed comfortable with it. Probably because she’d never known true motherly affection or care.

“Who is Azalea’s father?” he asked, not sitting down in his chair, but pressing his fingertips into the desk.

“That’s an awfully personal question to ask. It’s quite personal, and frankly none of your business.” Bellatrix’s lip twitched.

“Does Azalea know him?”

“You’re quite nosy,” Bellatrix said.

“And you’re awfully secretive.”

“My secrets are mine,” Bellatrix said in a low tone. “Azalea, we’re going home, now.”

“Mother—”

“Enough.” Bellatrix snapped her attention to her daughter. “I understand you didn’t have a choice in coming here—” She turned her glare to Peter. “You were forced. But you will return home with me now.”

---