Page 59 of Cruel Redemption

I knew my face was red. I felt my temple throb with the anger. “You know more. You know all the story. And I need you to start talking.”

She shrugged. “I’m guessing you heard we had dinner last night. Is that what this is about? Some kind of defense of your father? Rushing in here to save his honor? I haven’t mourned him long enough for you?”

“I don’t give a shit about my father. You can start with dinner and work your way backward.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You can’t speak to me that way. You’re in my house.”

I huffed. “Actually, it’s mine. I’m letting you live here. I run this family now.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but she knew it was true. I inherited every penny and every inch of real estate my father owned.

“Unless you want to move out on the street, start talking.” I glared at her.

“You wouldn’t. I’m your mother.”

I grabbed her wrist. “How about I take you down into the Vieux Carre tunnels? I’ll show you where he died. Where your grandchild’s father died.”

She wrangled her hand away from me. “You’re being dramatic.”

“Am I? I watched him die. He died right in front of me.”

It was the first time she flinched. “You went into the tunnels?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

She reached for a chair and sat. “I-I—” She looked up at me. “You weren’t supposed to go down there.”

“What was your plan? Was it to put your daughter’s life in danger? Maybe the baby’s instead?”

She shook her head slowly. “No. Never. I would never let anyone hurt the baby. That’s absurd.”

“Then what? What fucking manipulative scheme did you come up with?”

“Anthony wanted to make sure she didn’t ruin everything he had.”

“Amara?”

“Yes,” she snapped, but her eyes closed. She regretted it. “Anthony Gardner and I met at a charity event. You know the masquerade ball I used to attend with your father.”

“But wasn’t that a few months ago? Papa was still alive,” I stated.

She shrugged. “He was. But Anthony and I started a friendship. We had mutual interests. Amara was squeezing us dry with the interest rates. Your father wouldn’t do anything about it. Nothing. He just stood there and let her steal from us. She was close to taking everything Anthony had too with her absurd glam casino resort. So, we formed an alliance.”

“To kidnap her?” I gritted my teeth together.

“To remove her from New Orleans,” she answered.

I had to steady myself. The anger was so thick it was beginning to take over.

“You have no idea what she was like when you were in France,” she argued.

“Believe me. I understand.” My jaw clenched. My throat tightened. “You and Anthony took the plan to the next level. You were going to kill her.” She wouldn’t meet my gaze. “Answer me!” I shouted.

“Yes. Hide her until we could take her out of the city. And then Anthony has resources. I don’t know what they are. Who they are. I don’t know the details. I don’t handle those things. He does that part.”

I exhaled. “What did you help with?”

“I pretended to be drunk. I listened. I eavesdropped on every conversation you had. I knew about Enzo and Katya. So I asked Anthony if he would add him to the plan just to scare him. Just scare him away from Katya. Make sure he left and didn’t come back. He wasn’t supposed to get hurt.”

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