Page 53 of A Linton Scandal

He shook his head. Turning, he pressed his forehead against my chest. “I want to go home.”

My determination grew to get us out of here, I wasn’t going to let myself be a sitting duck like last time. “Nelu, love we’re going to do exactly that but I’m going to need your help.”

Pulling his head back, he looked up at me with a tear covered face, but this time without fear. “I need you to tear a piece off my dress, can you do that?”

He nodded. “I can.”

“That’s my son,” I said.

I had always thought Nelu was unusually smart, he had a natural ability to understand the books he read, and while he never spoke a word when I helped him with his homework, I’d soon realized that the little kid barely needed help.

He grabbed the edge of my gown and pulled. I tried my best to yank in the opposite direction. It took a few tries before the sound of tearing filled the abandoned building. “I got it, mommy.”

I smiled. Trying to keep the atmosphere calm. Cold sweat built on my back, our attacker could return at any minute. “Okay, now do you see the broken glass over there,” I pointed with my chin to the corner.

He followed my line of sight. “Yes.”

“Now, be incredibly careful and use mommy’s dress to pick it up. Can you do that?” I asked, my eyes going to the window when I heard what sounded like a car approaching.

He didn’t answer me this time, as he quickly ran to the corner and picked up one of the pieces of glass. As he reached my side, I turned my back to him, “Now, Nelu I’m going to have to ask you to use the glass in your hands to cut moms—” I didn’t get to finish my words before I felt the zip tie pop open.

I stared at my hands in surprise. I hadn’t expected him to move so fast. He walked around me and asked. “Can we leave now?”

Shaking off my surprise, I stood and grabbed his hand. “Yes.”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I quickly grabbed Nelu and pulled him behind my back. Three men entered, but the one who’d spoken was the woman who stood in front of them. I recognized her immediately. “Ms. Pall, I don’t know what I might have done to anger you, but this has nothing to do with Mihai’s son.”

She sneered as she entered the room. “You don’t know what you did? How about taking the man who was meant for me? How dare you, a mere cook, think you have the right to marry into the seven branches. I’d waited so long after killing his whore of a wife, to take what was rightfully mine, but you, an ant, stole him from me.”

The three men behind her moved forward threateningly, I moved back making sure Nelu was behind me. I glared at her. “I didn’t steal anything, if you wanted him that badly you should have told him.”

“You stole my chance! Didn’t you sleep with him at the hotel,” she demanded angrily. “You took my moment, he was supposed to be with me. I should be standing where you are, you took what was mine. That damn Stern was useless, he even thought he could use you against me, but he failed.” She smirked, pulling a gun from within the folds of her gown and pointed it at me. “I’ve taken care of a lot of people of late. I don’t think two more lives will cause much of a wave.”

Seeing the gun, I screamed, turning around and giving her my back as I wrapped my arms around Nelu. I squeezed him to my body and closed my eyes.

“I could say the same.”

Hearing the familiar voice, I felt a wealth of relief. I turned around and met azure eyes, holding a deadly rage. “Mihai.”

He looked away from me to Ms. Pall, who had fallen back in fear as Mihai’s men flooded the room.

“No, no,” she muttered, her head shaking back and forth. “You’re not supposed to be here,” she shouted, as her arms were grabbed and the gun that had been in her hands was removed.

Mihai looked at her with disgust. “Then where am I supposed to be, Ms. Pall?”

“You shouldn’t be here,” she continued as if he hadn’t said anything. “You’re a Linton, you wouldn’t care about something as insignificant as her. No, this isn’t right.”

I shuddered as it became clear that Ms. Pall wasn’t right in the head. She continued rambling about Mihai as if he was some sort of God.

“You,” she shouted, turning to glare at me. “You’re the reason he’s changed, you destroyed our king, you deserve to die.” Ms. Pall screamed as she struggled in the hands of Mihai’s men before they forced to her knees. “If I get rid of you, he’ll go back to normal. It’s your fault that everything’s messed up, die,” she raged.

I cringed away from the insanity in her eyes and turned to pick up Nelu. I didn’t want to hear anymore of her screaming, and I walked toward Mihai not giving Ms. Pall another glance.

I focused my attention on the warmth of my son in my arms, and the face of the man who’d promised me he’d protect me. Stopping by his side, I released a shudder as he pulled me into his arms and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“Go, Nao and Lin are waiting.”

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