Page 113 of The Colour of Revenge
You could hear a pin drop.
I fidget with my hands, picking at my skin as I wait for his reaction.
“Your father is the richest man in the country?ThatDominic Beckett?”
I nod solemnly. “That’s daddy.”
His face flashes with recognition.
“Naomi Beckett.” Nate’s eyes widen. “That case was all over the news. You’re assumed dead. Your father made it sound like you’d been kidnapped.”
He runs a hand over his face. “No wonder you went to such lengths to stay hidden, fuck.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
He shakes his head. “You’re telling me now.”
Lord, what did I do to deserve him?
“Oh!” I snap excitedly, suddenly reminded of his present, rushing upstairs to grab the bag I’ve got hidden up there.
I barrel back down the stairs and Nate’s amusement is clear on his face. “What’ve you got there, Princess?”
I thrust the bag towards him, shaking it at him.
“I wasn’t sure when to give this to you.”
He takes it, almost cautiously, and peers inside. I see the moment he realises what it is as his whole face lights up in a dazzling smile.
“I can’t believe you actually got me one.”
I nibble on my lip, suddenly worried he won’t like it.
Nate pulls out the bright pink jumper. The one that matches my own. The slogan the same as mine;‘Not a Serial Killer’.
He immediately puts it on, then grabs me, pulling me into a hug. “I love it, baby.”
My smile cracks my face wide as happiness pours from me.
“Have you seen what else is in there?”
He snatches the bag back up.
“Oh my god.” He pulls out a kilo pack of gummy worms. “You’re fucking incredible.”
He tears open the bag, munching on them like they’ll wriggle away from him if he doesn’t devour them immediately.
But then, after we sit back onto the sofa, it’s time to focus once more.
We start brainstorming ideas, but my father is a powerful man, and a smart one. He won’t be easily fooled.
Eventually, we rope Kai into helping but he’s actually pretty useless. I don’t think he’s given a single suggestion.
“It needs to be bloody, something artistic,” Nate says, popping another gummy worm into his mouth with a thoughtful expression on his face as if he’s imagining exactly that.
Kai shudders, scrunching his face up in disgust. “Just once, it would be nice if you killed someone cleanly.”
Nate straightens. “Why would I do that?” he asks with genuine bewilderment.
