Page 45 of Red Dreams

“Year one with Papa”—crack.Ethan howls—”is when I learned that screaming only makes it worse.”

Ethan’s index finger flops to the table, still attached, but the bone’s fractured. He sobs, attempting to pull his arm out from Cassie’s grip, but unable to.

I fear I’m at the point when I have to physically intervene. I don’t want to lay hands on my daughter, but I have to stop this before Cassie pushes both Layla and Ethan beyond repair. But as I open my mouth, Cassie's head snaps up, her eyes locking with mine as she makes her next move.

Crack.Ethan’s howl turns into a shriek. “Year two is when I started believing maybe he was right about my father not wanting me.”

Layla sprints from behind me, throwing her arms around Ethan and sobbing her apologies in his ear.

“Aw,” Cassie mocks as she watches Layla hug Ethan. After taking in the desperate scene, Cassie focuses on Ethan’s ashen face, saying through a pretend frown, “Don’t worry, baby. Only eight more years to go.”

I brace my feet, noting Cassie’s men filtering in. Five of her foot soldiers have positioned themselves around the suiteto defend Cassie if need be. Their devotion to Frank Morelli extends to her, and if it were any other universe, I’d be grateful my daughter had so much protection.

But what she endured to require these bodyguards…

I see it now, the cracks in her fragmented psyche. Morelli twisted her understanding of my love for her until it lost all meaning.

I briefly close my eyes and take a breath.

This is where I’m in my element—controlling and dominating others. It’s what I do best, instilling fear while keeping them inexplicably drawn to me. It’s beguiling. Addictive, even.

My eyes snap open just as Cassie prepares to snap Ethan's third finger.

I take a step forward. Cassie's men tense but don’t engage.

“Morelli manipulated you through pain, Cassie,” I say evenly, holding her wild gaze. “He systematically erased all evidence of my search for you and replaced it with his carefully crafted lies.”

“Liar!” she shrieks, slamming Ethan's hand against the table. He cries out, Layla's sobs muffled against his neck.

“Deep down, a part of you knows the truth,” I counter, taking another step. “A part of you remembers what it felt like to be loved unconditionally before Morelli poisoned your mind.”

Cassie’s nostrils flare, teetering on a knife’s tip between her conditioning and the faint whisper of truth.

I fly across the room. Cassie doesn't even register my presence until my hand wraps around her slender wrist in an iron grip, halting her assault on Ethan.

“You're getting ahead of yourself, little one,” I murmur.

I whip my head around andtskwhen her men inch closer, weapons raised. “You boys know better than to piss me off. Aim those bullets at anyone in the room but yourself, and I’ll kill your princess right here and now.”

Layla lifts her head, her face going white with horror.

Cassie’s eyes flare with indignation as she tries to yank her arm free from my hold, but her laugh belies her desire to escape.

“There he is! The real Kaden Black. Not the one who plays house with a bunch of kittens, but the one who'd snap his own daughter's neck.”

My grip tightens on her wrist—not enough to hurt, but to command attention. “If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be standing.”

Her soldiers don't lower their weapons, but they don't advance either. They're waiting for her signal, which means...

“You orchestrated this.” The realization hits as I study her face, that perfect blend of my calculation and Morelli's chaos. “Every move was designed to force my hand.”

“Did you think I didn't notice?” Cassie says in answer. She tries to twist away again, but I hold firm. “How gentle you are with her? How youprotecther?” The last word comes out like venom. “I had to know if you'd do it for me. If you'd become the Scythe to save your daughter.” Her smile slices through me. “But you only break for her, don't you?”

My grip gentles on her wrist, but I don't release her. Not yet. “You're right. I would become an evil incarnate to protect what's mine.” I lean closer, pitching my voice for her ears only. “But Cassie-girl, you've been mine since the day you were born.”

She tries to jerk back, that triumphant smile faltering. “You’re full of shit. You never?—”

“I hunted Morelli through three continents.” Each word carries the weight of ten years. “Left pieces of his organization scattered across twelve countries. The things I did to find you...” I pause to let her see the darkness in my eyes. “They would make even you shudder with revulsion.”

---