Page 70 of Cruel Vows

“Evil doesn’t age.” I turn onto the exit that leads to Dad’s house. “I know that he’s up to something, and if that does involve Ellie in one way or another, I’m going to find out and I’m going to put an end to it.”

Rebecca drums her fingers on the console between us. “I think this is all one big misunderstanding. Maybe he’s just starting to go the way that Grampy did.”

“Dementia?” I shrug. “It could be possible, but I think there’s more to the story than that. He’s up to something.”

I pull up to the white colonial house, park the car, and get out.

Rebecca leads the way into the house, and when she goes to change, I head down the long hallway to the office at the south end of the house.

The room is as dark and disturbing as I remember it, trophies from some of Dad’s kills hanging on the wall.

I glance around for the reflective lens of a camera. I’m sure he’s got some hidden in here, but I don’t have time to look for them. Not if I want to see what he’s hiding from me.

As I yank open the bottom drawer of his desk, a dozen pens go rolling, some papers shifting to the side.

It takes a couple minutes to root through them, but there’s nothing there but some receipts for cocaine shipments and another from an arms deal that was done last month.

The rest of the drawers are most of the same, mindless ramblings scribbled on paper. I sort through them still, looking for anything that might be a clue to what he’s up to.

Dad speaking to another man—one I don’t know about—is a problem, whether Rebecca wants to see it or not. It means that he’s up to something he doesn’t want me to know about.

Maybe it could be finding a new heir to the family to punish me for not having a child with Ellie yet. It would be petty, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’s done something like that.

Once I’m done rummaging through the mahogany desk, I stand in front of the matching filing cabinet.

The top drawer opens easily, already unlocked. I pull open the false bottom in it. It’s one of the places Dad likes to hide things, and if there’s any information on the meeting, it’s going to be there.

There’s nothing but some old receipts from one of the stores he used to buy Mom necklaces at. I pause for a moment, remembering a time when life was a little easier.

He wasn’t the same man after she died, and I can’t blame him for that.

Even if I don’t know exactly how I feel about Ellie, I don’t think I would be the same man if I lost her either.

“Looking for something?” Dad asks, his voice booming through the room as he appears in the doorway. “Because if you are, I think I should know what, don’t you think?”

I slam the drawer shut and turn to face him. “Yeah, actually. I was looking for something, but it seems like you’ve gotten better hiding spots since I was a teen.”

“And what the hell do you think you’re looking for?” Dad stuffs his hands in his pockets, but I would be an idiot to think that he isn’t reaching for a weapon.

“You know, if you’re going to meet with people other than me and Aiden, you should do a better job of covering your tracks.”

“I’m sure I don’t know you’re talking about.”

When he smirks, it’s clear he’s toying with me.

This is his favorite game. Fucking with my head and seeing what he can make me believe. Dangling the carrot of power in front of my face, only to pull it away when I finally try to get it from him.

He’s nothing but a bastard who thrives on controlling others.

And as much as I hate to admit it, I can see parts of myself in him.

As I tear open another drawer, digging through it, he closes in on me. His hand wraps around my bicep, hauling me back with surprising strength for a man his age.

“You don’t get to walk into my house and start looking through my things like I’m some kind of criminal.”

“You do see the irony in that, don’t you?” I shake off his hand, stepping away from him. “Who the hell have you been meeting with?”

“None of your business. I’m still the head of the Andino family, and it’s time that you take a step back and realize that.”

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