Page 10 of Seen Knot Heard

At the thought of Louie meddling with my writing, the author inside me shrivels up and dies. But what choice do I have? He holds all the cards.

“I’m sure your ideas will be…illuminating,” I say through clenched teeth. “I look forward to hearing them.”

Louie smirks with satisfaction. “I’m glad you can be brought to see reason. Trust me, darling, I only want what’s best for you.”

Head down, I pick at my dinner, mourning that such dry fish never would have graced Holden’s table. Where are the carbs? I spear a little weed resembling a clover. If this is all we’re eating, I’ll be hungry again in an hour.

Is this another of Louie’s plans? To starve me into submission?

The click of heels on the marble floor draws my attention, and I turn in my chair to see my mother sweeping into the dining room.

“Ah, Vivian, perfect timing.” Louie rises from his seat, a smile spreading over his lips. “We’ve just finished.”

Dismayed, I glance at the half of a filet remaining in front of me, then at Louie’s empty plate. Do I have to race him to the finish line if I want even this much food?

When a servant comes out of the kitchen to clear the dishes, I resist the desire to snatch up the dry fish and eat it with my fingers.

Louie approaches me, his movements languid and predatory. I suppress a flinch as he leans down and places a kiss on the top of my head, his lips lingering a moment too long. “Enjoy your visit with your mother.”

With a final indulgent smile at Vivian, he excuses himself from the room.

Vivian claims my wineglass, her pink eyes—so like my own—assessing me coolly over the rim. “What? No kiss for your mother?”

Fist clenched, I rise and stand on tiptoes to peck her cheek. “Hello, Mother.”

“Such an obedient child.” She turns and sweeps out of the dining room, expecting me to trail after her.

In the living room, she settles in the center of the sofa, leaving me to perch on one of the armchairs.

She leans over to set her small purse on the coffee table. “Is Louie treating you well?”

The resentment that’s been simmering inside boils over. “He has me locked in the guest room. Does this make you happy? Knowing your daughter is a prisoner?”

“Better your own room than his,” she murmurs. “Play your cards right, and you’ll continue to have such freedoms.”

“What cards would those be?” I shake with restrained anger. “Why did you choosenowto hand me over to Louie?”

My mother remains impassive, setting down her drink with a clink. “You should be thanking me for saving you from a terrible mistake. Louie is a rich and powerful Alpha. Do you have any idea how many Omegas would kill for this kind of match?”

I clench my jaw so hard my teeth ache. Of course, she would view this twisted arrangement as some grand opportunity. My mother has always been blinded by wealth, status, and her own vices.

Fury churns in my stomach when faced with my mother’s impassiveness. I want to scream, to let loose the torrent of anger and betrayal that’s been building since we were kicked out of my birth pack. Everything good in my life has always been ruined by this woman’s selfishness.

“Who’s my real father?” the question tumbles out before I can stop it.

She casts a disdainful glare in my direction. “Why does that matter now? He didn’t come to save you after the Sinclairs cut us out. Why would he come to save you now?”

She snatches up the wineglass, polishes off the contents, and rises from her seat, her lithe form trembling with rage. “You have no idea what I’ve sacrificed to ensure you have a good future. So listen to me for once and enjoy the life you’re being handed here with Louie.”

Turning from me, she glares toward the dining room. “Where are those blasted servants? I need something heavier than this to drink when dealing with you.”

As she stalks away, my gaze drops to the small purse she left sitting on the coffee table. Heart in my throat, I check to ensure I’m alone, then reach over and grab it with a shaking hand.

My pulse thrums in my ears as I fumble through the contents, searching for a cell phone. Anything to connect me to the outside world, to someone who can help me escape.

But my hopes soon crumble to dust. Lipstick, compact, mints… no phone. Security must have taken it from her at the door.

Despair coils around my chest like a vise, squeezing the breath from my lungs.

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