Page 2 of Owned By her Enemy
Edmonton raises one eyebrow, and my father trails off into resentful silence.
“When Iwhat?” the bratva kingpin mocks. “You murdered both my parents, then have the gall to—”
“Your family has suffered greatly from this feud recently.” My father launches into what sounds like a pre-prepared speech. “Since you are new to this role, I came to talk about increasing our mutual profitability and sustainability by negotiating peace terms between our families.”
“Why should I? You’re losing this war. I’ll destroy you soon enough.” His voice is iron.
My father grits his teeth. “What’s the price of peace, Edmonton?”
“Your daughter.”
Shock reverberates through the room. The new kingpin doesn’t even look my way, despite having allowed me a seat at the table. He lounges back in his chair, a dangerous big cat toying with his prey.
“My daughter is not an object to be given away,” my father blusters.
“And yet you keep her locked up in your tower, your caged bird. There’s stolen art that leaves London more often than she does.”
Neither of them have actually said my name.
My heart hammers. This isn’t what I had in mind. I might finally escape Tottenham Tower, but I can see a new prison, ready for me to be shoved through the door and left to rot. Or simply murdered as retribution because Nikolai is as alone as I am. Tottenham disappeared most of his family, even if he did some of our job for us.
I’m just a little white mouse to this man. He’ll kill me as soon as he tires of the game. Maybe as a point.
Shit.
“You took my wife, and now you want my only daughter?” My father’s gaze darts to me and there’s the familiar distaste on his face. He’s not asking what Edmonton intends to do with me, merely posturing. I’m a pretty doll that my father protects. I’m a walking Ming vase.
An ugly snarl draws up Nikolai’s mouth, contempt in every line. “You don’t have anything else to offer, do you?” he taunts. “You’re broke. In debt up to your double chins.”
How does he know that?
“I know a great deal about Tottenham that I’m sure you do not want public,” he adds, as though he read my mind. Or maybe the distress on my face. “This feud can only be ended by a symbol. A marriage.”
Married. To him? This monster who stole my mother from me now wants to take my chance at liberty?
No. No way.
This is not going how I’d hoped.
I thought there would be more… offers? Discussion? At least the main course of dinner. More something.Opportunities.
“If you want to keep your secrets, I suggest you agree to my exceedingly reasonable demands.”
I expect my father to protest, but he pushes coleslaw ineffectually on his plate.
The thought of eating roils my stomach. But Nikolai has no such qualms. He calmly tips another oyster into his mouth, smirking.
“Delicious,” he murmurs.
This arrogant kingpin will own me before long, I realise. All my plans of escape will be shards of porcelain on the floor if I’m not able to find an alternative price for peace that Nikolai will accept, and my father will agree to.
My father will cave. I steal a glance at him. Yeah. He’s wondering if he can get away with such a cheap price as the daughter he only keeps as a status symbol because I’m beautiful and can sing at the events he hosts for his cronies.
A new cage, this one with my mother’s killer.
And suddenly, I see the way out. I wouldn’t murder my father—whatever he’s done, I’m first and foremost a Tottenham. My heritage is crucial. Knowing where I came from, who my family is. That was what my mother told me, again and again. Family is everything.
But my enemy? The one who is responsible, even if indirectly, for my mother’s death?
