Page 17 of Revenge

After carefully administering the shot, I pushed a chunk of hair back from her face. She looked so peaceful as she slept with no sign of the resting bitch face which I remembered so well.

Looking back on those times when Ava had returned from school, I knew I had been an obnoxious prick towards her.

And now, considering my plans, would I beg her forgiveness, and apologise for those years? Hell no. My behaviour back then had served a purpose and the best thing for both of us would be to look forward.

Back then Ava had been an unruly teen and had needed a firm hand. In the hierarchy of the family, she had been beneath me.

Now she was a woman, she would take her rightful place by my side. It would be a business partnership, not an equal one but a partnership, in a fashion.

I had and wouldalwaysrule my family with an iron fist.

And Avawasmine now, she just didn’t know it yet.

Ava

Consciousness started to trickle into my psyche and I slowly opened my eyes, squinting against the brightness. Raising a hand to shield my view of the unfamiliar room, I took a deep breath and waited for my vision to clear.

My first thought was that my stomach felt queasy and my forehead was clammy. I’d been drugged.Motherfucker!

“You’re awake,” a familiar voice said, relief coating those words.

My brain needed time to catch up to what I was seeing. A glow of light was flooding the room from a large window and I searched for the owner of that voice; knowingit was my mothers.

Susannah Cawthorne aka Suki.

I looked at Suki, standing at the bottom of the bed I was lying on,wringingher hands together; something she did when she was nervous.

Where the hell was I? This wasn’t the mansion she’d shared with Gerard. Maybe I was still in Italy?

As I weakly returned her smile, my feelings were mixed. Yes, I was pleased to see her but what was she doing in Milan?

She didn’t say anything else just stood there, chewing on her bottom lip. My mouth opened but my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth. It was as dry as fuck, no doubt a side-effect of the shit Kai had pumped me with.

Ihatedthe strained atmosphere between us. We hadn’t seen each other in person for almost two years yet there was no hug, no tears of delight for being reunited. But then there wouldn’t have been, my relationship with my mother had changed when she’d chosen Gerard over me.

I missed the woman she used to be. Suki had been a good Mum, carefree and loving. She’d check for monsters under my bed and read to me at bedtime;beautifulstories about princesses (not the mafia variety) and dashing heroes that saved them.

And how I had wanted to be saved.

The last time I had seen her was the turning point where I realised that the only person to save me, would be me.

I still loved her withallmy heart, why wouldn’t I, she was my mother; my blood.

The mattress was soft against my back. I was fully dressed and was on top of a silvery grey duvet. It felt like I was lying on a cloud, the material was so soft and fresh. If I hadn’t felt so shit I would have nestled back into that warmth; welcomed it.

My side was stinging and I was as disorientated as fuck but as that fog from sleep started to clear—I accepted the possibility that I wasn’t in Milan anymore.

“Suki?” I questioned as she shuffled forward and lowered herself onto the bed beside me. I was in a fancy-looking bedroom in the middle of a huge four-poster. It was Scrooge style with curtains and everything. Grand would be too mild a word to describe it.

My heart missed a beat as I pushed myself into a sitting position; ignoring the twinge of pain I felt in my side as I twisted.

“Where the hell am I?” I asked, my voice hardening.

Suki grimaced at my tone, “Do you want some water? Kai said you fainted.”

Fucking Kai. It all camefloodingback. Fainted my arse; that may have been the case at first, but as I’d started to come around in the car, the fucker had stuck me with something. My hand lifted automatically to rub the tender spot against my neck.

“Fainted? Kaidruggedme,” I declared with a disgusted look. Suki was so gullible.

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