Page 43 of The Devil After Dark
“Why the fuck would I do that?” I spat back at him. He was out of his mind if he thought I would give up my council seat. My family had held that seat for centuries. I was not going to be the one to lose it.
Remi chuckled and leaned back in his chair. Rome just sat with his arms crossed, staring at me. Another rat. I knew Rome couldn’t be trusted. I should have cut him off as soon as he started inserting himself into Liana’s life. I had brushed off his new interest as my own paranoid possessiveness, but clearly I had been fucking wrong. “Well you aren’t really in a position to negotiate. Rome here shot you with a dart that not only knocked you out, but also does this handy thing of keeping your magic stifled. I currently have your girl tucked warmly into bed upstairs and if you refuse to sign over everything, I will not hesitate to use her to motivate you,” Remi replied.
Liana was upstairs. What had he done to her? He was clearly willing to harm her in order to get what he wanted, but what had he already done? “Tell me one thing, Remi,” I started as I glared him down. “Why? You have worked with me for fifteen years. Why now? Did I not treat you well? I considered you a brother,” I questioned. My throat burned as I talked and my mouth felt like I was chewing on sand. Both symptoms were the lovely side effects of magic suppressing tranquilizers. The head splitting headache was another. I wanted to ask about Liana, but I wasn’t dumb enough to bring the attention back to her. The more he thought I was worked up over her, the worse it would be for her.
“I realized a few things, Cass. First, I want more than to be a side piece, and second, you were getting sloppy chasing that woman. What better time to pursue career growth for myself than when you are completely distracted from your initial goals. Which by the way, we will be stopping our destruction of the Delacourt family. It will be much more profitable to work with them. I clued Merrick in on what you’ve been doing to his family and he has already agreed to a truce as long as I am the one who takes control of our drug businessand the seat on the council,” Remi revealed. He looked so smug and pleased with himself. He thought he was so smart siding with another council seat holding family. Remi clearly did not study his history well enough if he thought that was a good idea.
What Remi said started to sink in. He had informed the Delacourts that we were killing their people and dismantling their empire. Years of work to destroy the family were completely undone. Revenge for my father and brother was completely ruined. And Remi was a fucking idiot believing Merrick would work with him. Merrick would be out for a payment in blood after hearing of what we had been doing. I turned my eyes to Rome. “And what about you?” I asked through my teeth. Rome had been my top inside man with the police. Everything ran through him. There was a time when I thought he might actually be a stand up guy. I quickly learned he wasn’t. He just pretended to be one.
Rome had the audacity to shrug. After a few moments of me glaring at him he finally decided to speak, “Remington had a better proposal for me.” Fucking sell out. That was all it took for Rome to flip—money.
“And was your special interest in Liana for you or for him,” I asked as I jerked my head towards Remi.
Rome’s eyes darted to Remi before returning to look at me. “I had a little hope she would see you weren’t good for her and I could get her out of this mess,” Rome replied curtly. I wasn’t sure I believed him. I had seen the way he had looked at her and the way he touched her. He probably wanted to fuck her himself and simply ran out of time in his quest to get into her pants.
“Okay then. Let Liana leave and we can sign the paperwork,” I offered. I needed her out of here. I needed her far far away from these two. I had no intention of actually signing my entire life over to Remi, but I needed Liana safe.
Remi threw his head back and laughed. “No, Cassio, I don’t think you fully understand my intentions here. I am keeping hereither way. It’s up to you how much pain she feels before this is over. Sign now and I will treat her like the princess she is. Refuse and I will break her in front of you.”
My blood boiled. If I hadn’t been tranquilized with some fucking drug that knocked out my magic, I knew my magic would be leveling this entire room with the rage I felt. “She will never agree to be with you,” I seethed.
“I’m not looking for her agreement, Cass,” Remi retorted. I launched myself at Remi. There was no fucking way I would let him hurt Liana.
forty-seven
LIANA
I was soexhausted I fell asleep curled on the end of the bed. Sleeping in the bed, under the covers, felt wrong when I had no idea what they were doing to Cassio. When the door opened, I launched upright, wiping sleep from my eyes. Remington stood in the doorway for far too long. Finally, he stepped into the room and closed the door behind himself. I watched his shadow cross the room, then he turned on a lamp. I winced and blinked at the light.
“I will give you a choice, baby girl,” Remington said as he walked towards where I sat on the bed. He stopped in front of me and his hand lifted my chin so I was looking up at him. “Me or Cass.”
“What?” I breathed. Was this seriously a choice? Remington was practically a stranger. I didn’t even know he existed until the night both of them were there. Then Remington disappeared. I had only just learned his name today.
“Stay with me and I will take care of you. Anything you want can be yours,” Remington paused, his thumb stroking my cheek. “Or pick Cassio and unless he cooperates, I will use you to break him.”
I jerked my head away from his hand. Remington laughed and crouched down in front of me. “I know how he treats you. You are a play thing for him. He would have never told you about me either. Is that the kind of man you want to put your life on the line for?” Remington was making some good points. He was digging a knife into all of the concerns I had about Cassio. I didn’t respond. “Do you knowwhywe both ended up fucking you that night?” I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat. Remington chuckled and gently tucked my hair behind my ear. I recoiled from his touch. “Cassio was so fucking pissed at you for defying him that he was afraid of what he was going to do to you.”
Remington held my gaze and I tried as hard as I could to not let him see me questioning everything. “Do you want to be with a man who is afraid he is going to hurt you? Do you want to be with someone who sends another man to punish you and fuck you?” I looked away from his eyes. I was moving past that … wasn’t I? His hand on my chin turned my face back to his. “The only reason he came in that night was because he was so jealous he couldn’t stand watching me fuck you. Is that the man you want?”
“I certainly don’t want you,” I quietly shot back, my voice barely above a whisper.
I didn’t miss the anger in Remington’s eyes. “I will treat you right, Liana.”
“You don’t even know me,” I breathed.
Remington bit his lip and his hands slid up my thighs. “I know more about you than you think.”
“I don’t know you,” I countered.
“But you think you know Cassio? Baby girl, I don’t want to hurt you. Don’t throw away the opportunity for a good life,” Remington argued. His reasoning was falling flat. I would always choose Cassio. I had made myself believe I could never trust him, yet Cassio had stolen every piece of my heart. I belonged with Cassio.
“I choose Cassio,”I responded flatly.
Remington’s head dropped and he shook it slowly as if he were disappointed in me. Then he stood back up, towering over me. “After I break you, baby girl, I’m going to keep you.”
I clenched my jaw and glared up at him trying to show I was unbothered by his threats. It lasted all of a moment before rippling golden light pulsed from his hands and bound my wrists and ankles. I screamed and a band of light wrapped over my mouth. It was magic. Remington had bound me with magic. I writhed and struggled and Remington only chuckled as the light forced me to my feet in front of him. The band of light around my head and mouth forced my face to turn up to his. “If you have changed your mind, you can beg me to stop.” There was a dark smirk on his face and the band covering my mouth evaporated into the air. “Start begging.”
“Never,” I spat the word at him. Remington tossed me over his shoulder in a quick movement and headed for the bedroom door. I yelled at him to let me go as I tried to kick and hit him, but the magic restraining me only started to burn my skin. Crying out in pain, I stopped resisting. The burning sensation ceased with my submission.
