Page 62 of Dare You to Catch Me
His eyes raise, meeting my gaze, and my words come out playful. “You like how I said; tried. You didn’t succeed and she’s alive. Wantto know the best part, she and Ryan are so deeply in love, and Ryan is who saved her.” I say the words with playful seductive venom, which makes even me sick hearing about it. His eyes widen and I smile. And in the blink of an eye, the whip slices across his chest with an echoing crack.
I watch my father wince and his breathing becomes ragged as I continue my torture. “But there’s something you guys never told me.” I hold my gaze on him with a raised brow. “I was a twin.”
His lips curl into a sinful smile and right there. I knew it was true, I have a twin brother that is alive.
“You fucking bastard.” The whip cracks again, and again, and again, ripping a painful groan from my fathers throat. And about ten more times in a crisscross pattern across his chest. His now shredded suit bearing his bare lacerated bloody skin as he pants in agony. “Talk. NOW!” The words furiously roar from my lungs.
He chuckles. “You’re after a dead man.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what I said. You’re a smart girl, figure it out.”
The whip cracks down again, this time the tail of the whip wraps around his throat and I pull it tight, choking him. “I’m done playing your games of secrets.” I tighten the rope as my mind works in ways it never has. And my father holds his sinful grinned look as his face brightens blood red.
I release the pressure and the whip loosens its tight hold. I stare at my father for a moment, and the bright blinking light bulb in my head lights with a bright red glow;Oh, my god.
“It’s my brother that’s after us, not Luca.”
My father’s grin gets bigger. “I outsmarted all of you. I told the nurses to lie to your mother, knowing she would coddle him, they told her he had passed, and I hid him. Trained him. I began my dealings with Luca, sent your brother to him to train underhim after Ace killed Kaiser, to use for his revenge. Your brother has been working on Luca’s trust, so he can do what we had planned, but then Ace came home and fucked everything up. So, I had to play along until your brother could do what needed to be done.”
“And what is that?” I hiss.
“Your brother has killed Luca and has claimed his empire. The plan the entire time. Needing a man of power not you, a woman, holding the power of two powerful empires.”
“I do that now, along with Ace.” Snapping the words from my mouth; does he forget I hold the power to our empire.
“Not for long.” My father rasps out and the whip flies down across his face.
“WHY? I would have given you and him the empire.”
He chuckles. “You were just a toy in my game, but your brother has found an interest in you. He wants you to stay as his Queen, and rule the empires together. Your brother sees a great potential in you, but I tell him he is wrong.”
I can’t handle another word, not right now. I hop off the table and bend over in front of my father, staring deeply into his eyes, as a red streak starts swelling across his face. “Now, you’re just a toy in my game.” I grab the back of my fathers head, raising my knee up, I slam his nose into my knee, before I drop the whip and turn away from my father, heading for the door.
“Watch your back, Emma, your brother is dangerous, and he is close; closer than you think.” I look over my shoulder at my father, enjoying the sight of the blood pouring from his nose, my words dangerously whisper from my lips. “So am I.”
I wrap my hand around the door handle and slam the door behind me as I walk out.
“Well done, you make me proud.” I roll my eyes with annoyance of Bear, deeply and desperately wishing Ace was here.
“Have you heard from him, Bear?” I ask with desperation in my voice. He shakes his head, his lips forming a straight line. Sucking in a short breath, I let it out as I swallow and walk out of the chambers.
When we emerge from the chambers, I start for my room before Bear asks. “What are you doing now?”
“Do I have to tell you everything?”
He huffs a laugh. “No, but I thought you might want to do a little research with me, because I think I know who your brother is. Ace might kill me for this, but technically you’re in command right now, with him gone.”
The corner of my lip curls, liking the sound of those words. “I am, aren’t I?”
He chuckles. “There she is, come on, we’re taking a drive.”
“Okay, hang tight, I need to do something first.” And I do, I need to tell Ace over a text what I learned, and how much I need him.
I get back to my room and sit on the edge of the bed, grabbing my phone from the nightstand, hoping, praying there’s a message from Ace. But there are none.
My shoulder’s slump, and I feel my chin start to quiver as tears sting my eyes. I just want to know if he’s okay. I close my eyes, holding back the tears as my lips suck between my teeth, fighting that burn in my jaw. I open my eyes taking in a long deep breath before I let it out as I start typing my message to Ace.
