Page 69 of In the Dark

“Tell me one thing, and be honest. For the first time in your wretched life, be honest with me.” Leo leaned on the desk with the look of a man with too much weight on his shoulders.

“That depends on the question.”

“Did you have anything to do with Mrs. Cavaldi’s accident?”

Orestes answered immediately. “Of course not.”

“Are you lying to me?”

Orestes answered that question with another one and waved his son away. “Don’t you have somewhere better to be? Go spend time with your mother. I’m sure she’s lonely at the house, unless she’s already passed out from too much wine. She hasn’t seen you in weeks.”

“You’re unbelievable.” Leo shook his head and straightened. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this mess if it’s the last thing I do.”

“I see.” Orestes set his cup down with a light clink and rounded on his son. “You are throwing your lot in with them.”

“I don’t understand why it has to be us versus them.”

“I see it in your face. I knew it from the instant I let you get involved with that bitch.”

“Let me get involved?” Leo pointed his finger like an arrow. “You have a lot of fucking nerve.”

“No, you have the nerve, Leonidas. An affair is one thing, but proposing marriage to that freak of nature? I should have killed her when I had the chance. I knew banishment was too kind for her.”

Leo stopped. His entire body seemed to turn to stone. His heart missed a beat, and when it started again, it did so hard enough to bruise a rib. “What did you say?” There was a long pause. He stared at Orestes and didn’t recognize him. “It was you? You’re the one who separated Astix from her family?”

“You’ve drawn a line in the sand, son, and instead of standing with your family you’ve cast me aside for them. The Cavaldis.” Orestes sneered, raising his tone slightly. “What a crock!”

Leo spoke slowly, enunciating every word, feeling numb. “You hurt her.”

“She should never have been born.”

“She’s a person, Dad. She’s a person and a damn strong witch. How dare you take it upon yourself to arrange—”

“Leonidas, I’ve had enough. Kindly stop before you dig yourself a hole. There are things about your father you don’t know, and for good reason. I do what other people can only imagine.”

“I’m going to stop you from doing whatever it is you’re doing. Mark my words.”

Orestes once more gripped his coffee cup and sipped. “Duly noted, and so marked. Now, if we are through here…”

“You’ve abused your station for the last time. I’ll see to it if it kills me. You’ll pay for what you did to her.” Leo pointed at his father’s face. A definite threat. “We’re done. And this is far from over.”

Orestes watched his son leave the room, waiting until the echo of footsteps disappeared down the long tile hallway.

“No, I’m afraid not. It’s only just begun.”

He waited a few more minutes to make sure Leo was entirely out of earshot. As soon as he was sure, he called for his secretary.

The girl rushed back into the room in enough time to save her from the worst of his temper. “Sir?”

He took time to stare out the window. Tap his fingers on the sill. Grind his teeth until he tasted friction. “Follow him.”

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