Page 31 of Heartless Legacy

“I didn’t know your name, but I saw a picture of you with less gray and facial hair. You look the same, just older. So does she?”

“No, she doesn’t know I’m still alive. For all intents and purposes, I’m not alive. The man she knew, Nikolaos Constantin, died a long time ago.”

“I was asking if she knows you’re a kidnapping psychopath.”

“I assure you I’m no kidnapper.”

“But I’ve got the psychopath part, right?”

His lips twitch. “Depends on who you ask.” He takes another sip of wine before asking, “So Evangeline kept pictures of me?”

“She’s a packrat,” I explain, letting him know there’s no sentimental attachment to the pictures Van has of him.

Scott hasAlexzander’seyes and build. Standing side by side, you’d wonder if they’re related, but Van’s husband, Sam, has the same height and bulk. Van obviously has a type. I toy with the ends of my hair that’s the same deep dark brown, when I’m not dyeing it.

This man is supposed to be dead, yet he’s revealed himself to me. He wants something. “Why am I here?” As soon as someone answers that question, I can work on freeing myself.

He frowns at me. “What kind of person would I be if I left you to suffer in that place?”

“The kind you’ve been every day I’ve been alive. I’ve been through lots of shit in my life and you never cared to show up before.”

He counters with, “How do you know I never showed up before?”

“This is my first time seeing you.”

His lips twitch again. “What kind of stealthy military organization would we be if we were in the habit of being seen?”

Am I ever gonna get a straight answer out of him? “Okay, then why is your organization showing itself to me now?”

He lowers his utensils. “Let’s dispense with the games, shall we? You know about my history with Van, which means you likely know that I’m Scott’s biological father. I’ve kept tabs on you since before you were born, but I didn’t have anyone actively shadowing you until you received your invitation to join The League of the Daggered Raven. Now, I will apologize for what you’ve been through these few last months, and not getting to you sooner, but the shadow I had on you…”

He pauses before saying. “He went offline and by the time we tracked him down, it was in a morgue. As soon as we found out you were in Rockridge, we set up a mission to retrieve you, but someone moved you before we could execute that plan. Wedidn’t know where to, and it took longer than I would have liked to find you again.”

After that little truth bomb, he goes back to eating his food, while I sit here staring at him. The servers come in to clear our tables just as he’s finishing his food. He stays seated until after they leave. As he’s putting his suit jacket back on, he says, “Anotèa, I know you have no reason to trust me, but you’ll see that youaresafe here.”

He walks to the door and props it open. “You’ll be discharged from the hospital wing tomorrow, and moved to another room. You’re free to walk around as much as you want. The restricted areas are clearly marked. Not that you’ll be able to access them, anyway.”

With one last smile before stepping into the hallway, he says, “I look forward to getting to know you, Egononí.”

Chapter 21

Thea

Even with access to a clock, I suck at keeping track of time. My brain fog is likely due to the fact that I’m still not eating. Nurse Snyder comes to check on my recovery and tries to guilt me into it, but nothing she says will convince me to touch the unpackaged food items they keep putting in front of me.

True to Alexzander’s word, they moved me from the hospital wing and put in what amounts to a dorm room. Despite my new sleeping quarters, I don’t believe the shit he said about me being safe. I thought I was safe in my dorm room on campus. I should have been safe just existing in my life, minding my business, but I wasn’t. Not even a little bit. And for these last four months, I’ve been shuttled from one prison to the next. It doesn’t matter that I’m allowed to roam free around here. I have no contact with the outside world, so I’m still a prisoner.

They won’t even let me have a weapon. They confiscate my knives as soon as they notice them missing from the dinner trays. Good thing too. I planned to use it on them during my escape. I’m just about to venture out for my daily walk, to rebuild my strength, when I hear a commotion down the hall.

“LaReaux!”

I tamp down the shudder and bile rushing its way up my throat, and force down the panic bubble that’s pressing against my chest.No. No.No.The shouting gets louder. “Where is she? LaReaux!”

I press my back against the wall and sink to the ground, pulling my knees up to my chest. Not again.Not again. I believed this was real. I hadn’t encountered anyone I knew from that other place, so I thought it was real- but if I’m hearing his voice- that means it’s not. The door to my room flies open. “LaReaux?”

I bite back a broken sob, squeezing my eyes shut. I can’t look at him. I can’t deal with seeing his face as it morphs into that psychopath doctor’s again.

I sense someone moving towards me. “Hey, Sweetness. Look at me.”

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