Page 12 of A Twisted Gift

My stomach sinks as Amelia begins packing up her things. All those men are going to see me like this. And what happens after? I think it’ll be much worse.

And I’m helpless to stop it.

Chapter five

Erik

The party is in full swing by the time we show up. The Montgomery mansion stretches high into the night sky, adorned with twinkling lights that even I have to admit are tastefully done. It doesn’t cover up the darkness emanating from the place, though. Nothing ever could.

Adeline loops her arm through mine as we walk up the stairs toward the front door. When I hired her for this job, she seemed taken aback by my requests, but she hasn’t asked any unnecessary questions. She knows she’s being paid just as much to mind her own business as she is to keep her mouth shut. I’ll be leaving her to fend for herself, but she assured me that she’s perfectly capable of finding another way home.

At the door, we’re greeted by a tall, slim butler. He takes my invitation for the party, his gaze snagging on the star in the upper right corner. I’ve been assuming that’s the marker for the auction invite, and it looks like I’m right.

“Merry Christmas, Mr. Hawthorne,” the butler states with a warm smile. “And a guest! Miss…?”

“Adeline,” she answers as she hands him her coat. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”

“Mr. Hawthorne, the business meeting will be held at eight o’clock sharp in Mr. Montgomery’s billiard room. You’ll find it by following the main hall all the way to the end.”

I nod, handing him my coat. “Thank you.”

Adeline and I make our way deeper into the mansion. The ballroom is filled with people, and a massive Christmas tree stands in one of the corners.

The decorations, the extravagant food, the festive music drifting from a live band by a set of windows—Charles Montgomery can try to cover it all up, but this place is steeped in pain and death. I’m surprised the place doesn’t smell like rotting flesh, since that’s what he’s built his wealth on.

“He really went all out, didn’t he?” Adeline mutters to me.

“I’ve heard he always does.”

Surveying the room, I quickly spot the Montgomery family. Daniel and Benjamin are sitting with a group that looks to be their friends, Charles is working the room, and Marissa is standing stiffly while she talks with a few older women.

My Rose is nowhere to be found, but I wasn’t expecting to see her this early in the evening. Only those who were invited to the “business meeting” know she exists. Hell, her name wasn’t even mentioned when I caught wind of the auction. Charles is milking the intrigue aspect of this for all he can.

There are a few familiar faces among the crowd, but Adeline and I keep to ourselves. I’m not here to network, even though I rarely pass up the opportunity to do so. My uncle kept my family’s real estate empire running while I grew up, but since I graduated college, I’m the one who’s rejuvenated it. Profits have skyrocketed, and we’re expanding at a rapid rate.

I thought it would be more difficult to hide my identity from Charles once I became more known in the business world, but hetruly has no clue who I am. He thinks I’m a Hawthorne by birth, that I’m one of my uncle’s children by blood.

Thatheinherited my family’s businesses and then passed them on to his oldest son.

That I’m my own mother’s fucking nephew.

I hate it, that Charles has no idea who I am, but he will soon. For years, I’ve been hiding in plain sight, but now I’m finally ready to get my revenge for what he did to me and my Rose.

“Remember how you asked me to tell you to chill out if you started looking pissed?” Adeline asks me.

“I don’t think those were my exact words, but yes.”

Ever so discreetly, her gaze drops to my hands and then back up again. I realize they’re clenched into fists, my fingernails digging into my palms.

“I need a drink.” Forcing my hands to relax, I move us through the crowd toward the bar.

“We also need to mingle.”

Goddammit.

But I can’t be mad at Adeline. I know myself well enough that I predicted I’d be in a terrible mood during the party, so I made sure I’d have someone to keep me in check. She’s doing exactly what I hired her to do, and deep down, I’m grateful. If we just stand around doing nothing, we’ll draw attention to ourselves, and that’ll make Charles suspicious of us after he discovers Rose is gone.

That can’t happen. When I finally get her out of here, I don’t want us running to keep her safe. It’s already a problem that I’ll have to keep her hidden until I find a way to deal with her family—and whoever tries to purchase her.

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