Page 80 of The Devil's Hunt

"It was nice to meet you, Mila," Cassian shook my hand, his politician smile firmly in place. "I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other."

"Thank you, Mr. King. Good luck with the election," I replied politely.

"Archer, give me a call tomorrow. There are some things we need to discuss."

Strong hands suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the group.

"Mila, I need to speak to you...privately," my father said in his stern, emotionless voice. A voice that I had grown so accustomed to and had never questioned. For the first time in my life, I saw him for who he truly was, and it terrified me. But I refused to back down, even as his fingers dug into my arm.

"Not tonight, Daddy. I'm tired, and Archer is taking me home."

"You're leaving without giving your speech on my behalf?" he spat, his face turning red and his fingers digging deeper into my arm.

"I think it's best if I don't. Now, please, Dad, let go of my arm. You're hurting me."

"Mr. Grey, I strongly advise you to let go of her right now." Archer's voice cut through the tension as he stepped forward to stand by my side.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? I will do what I want with my daughter. And my daughter has a role to play, and she clearly forgot the hand that fed her. If your mother could see you now, licking the scraps of thisKingboy like awhore."

He uttered the last word with so much venom and disgust I nearly winced. Archer started moving toward him, but I stopped him with a raised arm. As much as he wanted to rip my father's head off for touching me, he accepted that I was handling it and respected me enough to give me that. It was a thin line of space, but space nonetheless.

"How dare you think you have any right to speak on what my mother would think of me. You poor, pathetic, small man."

In a split second, his hand connected with my cheek in a vicious slap that left me reeling. Archer went for him, but Kai and Theo held him back.

And I was grateful for it.

In our world, public appearance is the driving force behind everything. My father wanted a confrontation and needed it to come back on top.

To survive.

He was scared. I could see it on his face. He didn't have to tell mehe was running out of time. I felt it in the air. I knew Alexander wasn't lying when he said my father was owned.

I could see it written all over his face.

How deep that went, I didn't know. But I planned to find out.

The sting of his hand across my face paled in comparison to the searing pain that erupted inside me. It was like a dam had burst, releasing all the emotions I had bottled up for too long. The alcohol coursing through my veins only fueled my anger and gave me the courage to move out of my father's shadow, once and for all. I touched my cheek, my skin hot and painful, then met his gaze, standing tall and steeling my resolve. My eyes were blurred with tears, and his words cut deep, reigniting years of unresolved, pent-up anger and grief for the loss of my mother.

"You know what, Daddy? I forgot to give my speech," I remarked, pushing past him and heading toward the stage.

31

THIRTY-ONE

MILA

Igrabbed a drink from a passing waiter, settled center stage, and looked out at the crowd, tapping a few times on the mic to ensure it was on. Someone shone a bright spotlight on me while I took a quick glance at Archer, his parents, Kai, Theo, and my father.

I cleared my throat before speaking and let my words spill out like molten lava. "Hello, everyone! Sorry to interrupt your night. I am Winston Grey's daughter, Mila. I know the official speeches are about to begin, so I will be quick. I first want to thank all of you for being here. It means so much that you are here showing your support and pulling out your pocketbooks to help fund the candidate of your choice, and I know my father and his opponent, Mr. Cassian King, appreciate all of you. It's wonderful to see how supportive they are of each other. New York needs a strong and loyal candidate who putsNew Yorkfirst and can't be bought orownedby anyone but the great citizens of this state. I am confident that you will all get out and vote when election time comes. With that being said, I want to thank my father for always doing what he needed to do to ensure I was taken care of. As some of you may know, my mother passed away when I was very young, and most of you maynot even know this, but the Grey and King families were extremely close prior to that. So close that my mother hoped that Mr. Grey's youngest son, Archer, and I would be married. We spent much of our youth playing together, and unfortunately, when my mother passed, welost touch." I paused and looked at Archer, hoping he would go along with what I had planned. "Archer, will you come up here real quick?"

The spotlight fixated on Archer as he strode toward me, a curious expression on his face. He stopped inches away, his smirk filled with dark enjoyment. His lips brushed against my cheek before settling near my ear.

"What are you up to?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

I smiled at him without answering and turned back toward the crowd. "One of the things I love about my father is how accepting he is and how he always makes the best decisions for me, even if I can't see it at the time. And one of those decisions was letting fate decide if my mother's wish came true. My mother passed along her strength and grace, and I am proud to be even half the woman she was. Archer and I are so excited to announce that we are officially engaged. No matter who you fine people decide to be your governor, rest assured that our two great families will forever be connected, fulfilling my mother's wish. And I have you to thank for that, Daddy. Cheers to you."

The room erupted in applause and cheers as everyone, and I mean everyone, processed the shocking announcement. I looked down at my father and lifted my glass mockingly, relishing the way his face turned red and his eyes narrowed. I knew he was furious, but he kept his composure in front of everyone. After all, appearances mattered more to him. My father's eyes met mine, cold and hard, and I could see the fury simmering within him.

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