Page 118 of Perilous

“Seems like you and I both should step back then,” Luc says. “Let Annika do it.”

I swallow hard.

Let Annika murder her own father?

* * *

I sitin a dark purple velvet room. Allegra is on her back on the floor, a silk pillow behind her head. Her daughter is in my arms. I hold Annika and keep checking her neck, feeling her pulse. They aren’t going to die. Not even close.

I haven’t had Annika like this. The extreme quietness. The reality of it all revealed. She’s in a drug induced slumber thinking I’m the one who did it out of a personal attack. As though I turned my back on her. As though I would work with her father willingly. It’s just that it all made sense. The moment presented itself and I took it.

I stroke Annika’s cheek. I study her face. My heart and my cock are now intertwined because of this woman.

She fell into my life—literally—and didn’t just consume it, but changed it. She showed me that life exists after pain. Love exists after thriving in hell.

But it also has opened a dark side of me. I didn’t think I could get any darker in life. Looking at Annika and knowing what she means to me, yeah, I can get much darker.

I cup her face, lean down and brush my lips to hers. I slide my hand down to her chest, over her right breast. My middle finger circles around right where I know her nipple is hidden inside her shirt and her bra.

The door to the room opens and a masked man enters. He doesn’t speak. Behind him, Luc steps in. He’s holding his golden mask.

“A discussion has been had,” he says. “The evidence spoken and shown. Even a confession from Holom himself.”

I can’t imagine the torture Holom must have undergone for him to confess.

“The deal was I won’t kill him,” Luc says.

“What?”

“My hands will be clean in this, Perilous.”

I nod and find myself smiling. I place Annika on the floor and stand tall. My robe and mask are brought to me and I dress myself.

There’s going to be a ceremony right now.

But that’s not the only surprise I’ve got for Annika.

ChapterThirty-Six

ANNIKA

When my eyesopen I expect to be tied up. I’m not tied up. I’m not… anything… I gasp and sit up and look around.

The room is soft, dark, and smells like sandalwood. I see my mother on the floor and quickly crawl to her and stab two fingers to her neck. Before I feel her pulse she makes a noise and starts to move. Her eyes open and meet mine.

She reaches for me. “Annika…”

Mom…

I don’t say the word.

“It’s time,” a voice says from behind me.

Chills race up my spine. I climb to my feet and turn, making fists, ready to fight. A gigantic, robed figure steps toward me. A black mask on his face.

I’m pissed off.

I reach up and rip the mask off the figure’s face. His face is painted. It’s white with black streaks. Painted like an old skull. It’s terrifying.

---