Page 67 of Tower

“She’s well past the age of consent. She will do what she wants, not what you tell her to do.” Peter stepped to the side of the desk, ready to move in if Bellatrix threatened Azalea in any way.

“She is coming home with me, and you can kiss my boots for not calling the police and reporting the kidnapping!” A gleam of raw rage simmered in her otherwise-controlled demeanor.

“What sort of business do you do with the Jansen family? Are you providing him with girls? Maybe young girls ripped from their families and sold to women like you?” Peter took another step, keeping his focus on Azalea ,but noticing the men starting to tense near the door. Daniel and Johnny were just outside, they’d be at his side in seconds if anything went wrong.

“Mother?” Azalea turned a confused look to Bellatrix. “What’s he talking about?”

“He’s a liar, Azalea. I told you. Men will say anything to get you to do what they want, and this man wants you. He’ll say anything to make me look like a villain.”

“You kept your daughter locked away!” Peter pointed out. “It doesn’t take much work to expose that.”

“I kept her safe.” Bellatrix jerked a nod. “And I still need to, apparently. We’re leaving, and if you so much as take a breath near my daughter again, you’ll see the consequences.”

Azalea tried to break free.

“Wait.”

“No. We’re leaving.” Bellatrix tightened her hold and gave a nod to her men. All four moved in, surrounding them. Johnny and Daniel rushed into the room, but her men already had their guns drawn.

“No. Daniel, no!” Azalea cried out when he pulled his gun. “It’s okay. It’s fine.” She turned her head, her eyes full of fear and uncertainty. “I’ll be okay. I’ll go home. Peter, you can come see me, or I’ll come here,” she said with a plea in her voice.

She’d go with Bellatrix to avoid bloodshed, but she wasn’t choosing her mother.

“You don’t have to go with her,” Peter said, reaching for her.

“I do. It’s okay. It’s fine.” Her voice cracked. She wasn’t fine.

Peter’s jaw tensed. Letting her go wasn’t an option.

Four men.

“Oh, for hell’s sake!” Bellatrix, apparently tired of the discussion, grabbed a gun from one of her men and pointed it at Johnny. Aiming low, she pulled the trigger, taking out his kneecap and making him crumble to the floor.

Chaos erupted. Johnny’s screams, Azalea’s cry, Daniel’s demand for her to drop the fucking gun. Everything became background noise when Bellatrix took the gun and pressed the barrel to her daughter’s head.

“We are leaving. I’ve had enough of this silliness.”

“Mother?” Azalea froze, her eyes frantically searching the room.

Her men moved in closer. Daniel continued to train his gun on her, but with the huddle, he wouldn’t be able to get a clean shot.

Peter felt for his own gun and found nothing. He’d left it upstairs. Fuck!

Helpless, he watched as Azalea was spirited away, out of the office. He walked stoically down the hall, hearing another cry from Azalea when the huddled group met up with more of his men.

“Stand down,” Peter called, waving his hands. “Let her go.”

If they disagreed—and Peter was pretty damn sure they did—they kept it to themselves.

He’d find a way to get her back. He wouldn’t let her just disappear.

“Let’s go.” Bellatrix swept Azalea out the front door, the gun still pointed at her but no longer butted up against her. Two others jumped from one of the two cars parked in front. After ushering the two women into the back seat of one, they all jumped in and sped off.

“Lock the gate!” Daniel called, but there wasn’t a man positioned at the gate.

“Let her go. I’m not going to chance Azalea’s safety,” Peter said in a hard voice. His heart wouldn’t stop racing, and his mind kept focusing on Azalea’s fear. Replaying the utter shock on Azalea’s face when her mother pressed the pistol against her head.

“Safety!? Her mother just put a fucking gun to her head and took her!” Daniel bellowed.

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