Page 75 of Poison Vows

“Cousin, please, it’s just us here,” she says in a low voice. “After everything that has happened, it was all going to come to this no matter what. Besides, with your unforgiving nature, one way or another, you were always going to retaliate blow for blow.”

“That’s a very interesting novel. When will it be published?”

“You can be sarcastic all you want, but I know all the crap you’ve been secretly doing these past eighteen years is now finally about to be used.”

I pretend to be blasé, as if I don’t understand what she’s talking about, but then again, this is Scarlet, a girl that I took under my tutelage the day she ran away from home at the tender age of nine and came to me bleeding and crying from the beatings her father gave her.

“Is that so?” I hold Scarlet’s gaze.

“Yes, it isso,” she counters sarcastically. “And I know you’re using Ivy as the moving chip, but from what I saw, she’s not willing to be your pawn.”

It doesn’t matter if she’s willing or not.

She will do what I tell her to do. I just need to find a way out of the crap she wants from me…

“How am I using her, then?” I ask instead, not revealing my thoughts.

“I don’t quite know, but the very fact that Grandpa is involved in this matter tells me that it won’t be long until you finally show your hand.” Scar smiles tightly.

“You make it sound like I’m going to go against Vaughn by using Angel.”

Scar whips her head so fast, her hair flutters everywhere.

“You call her Angel?” She gasps, then squeals so annoyingly, I glare at her. “You call her Angel! Is it because she saved your humanity and made you see the light?”

She squeals again.

“Can you stop?” I say, feeling aggravated.

“Oh sweet Jesus, that’s freaking adorable! Aww!”

I stare at her, doing my best to stay impassive.

“Angel, as inangel of death,” I state seriously. “Don’t try to romanticize it!”

Scar blinks continuously, like a freaking caricature. “Angel of death? Why?”

“That’s none of your business!”

“But it’s still so romantic that you call her that. What does she call you?”

“Asshole.”

Scar throws her head back and laughsloudly.

“Can you focus on what’s important?” I growl, getting annoyed again.

“Ah, yes, of course, sorry,asshole!” Scar dissolves into another fit of giggles. This time I don’t bother talking to her again. “My apologies. I just couldn’t resist that one.”

“Clearly,” I mutter unhappily.

“Okay, so if my analysis is correct, you and Vaughn’s so-called fight for the supposed throne is somehow linked to Ivy, but then you are you. You haven’t cared about Vaughn or given him the time of day ever, which means you don’t see him as an equal.”

I neither confirm nor deny that. I don’t think of Vaughn… unless it’s for strategy.

“And now that Grandpa has called for this meeting, I bet it’s because he’s taking Vaughn’s side to deal with the grandson that threatens his position and power.”

“You’ve gotten better at your ability to deduce from limited information, Scar.”

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