Page 107 of Vicious Intentions

As anticipated, he sat in one of the leather chairs with Sage in his lap, the barrel of his weapon pointed at her throat.

I casually glanced around the room, noticing Marty was leaning against the set of French doors, a smug look on his face. He’d incriminated his fellow soldier. I would enjoy keeping him on ice for a lengthy period of time, cutting off one extremity at a time until he bled out.

There was nothing worse than traitors in your own midst.

When I returned my full attention to my father, the same angst that I’d always felt crowded my system.

“You had Dayton killed.” I said the words in a matter-of-fact way, devoid of all emotion. I could tell I’d surprised him.

“He was a bad seed, although not nearly as much as you are. White trash.”

He was only trying to rile me. “I guess that doesn’t matter any longer. Does it?”

As he stroked Sage’s hair, she kept her eyes locked on mine. “You know. I was curious as to why you found this little bitch so tempting, enough to derail your life, but now I understand.”

She jerked her head away and he wrapped his other hand around her throat, squeezing just like he used to do with my mother. He’d almost strangled the life out of her several times.

I tensed, then felt Cristiano’s hand on my shoulder. If I didn’t control my emotions and my anger now, Sage would be the first victim in the room.

“This is between you and me,” I told him, although I knew that would only make him laugh.

He grinned, acting as if my house and everything inside belonged to him. “Did your mother ever tell you the truth?”

“That you were a pig?”

His laughter was the same as I remembered. He’d grown older, his white hair thinning, but he was still a powerful man. Yes, a true psychopath. “That you were a bastard child.”

The words were tossed out, but I sensed truth in them. “Is that so?”

“She had an affair with a fucking guard. A stupid fucking soldier. She didn’t think I knew. I tolerated you because that’s what she begged me to do. Then my real son tried to have me killed. Imagine that. My own flesh and blood wanting me dead while I was required to care for a worthless bastard.”

I sensed Hunter shifting, moving to the side a few inches at a time. My father wasn’t paying any attention. He was enjoying being in a position to gloat. I couldn’t wait to carve out his heart before putting a bullet in his head. Maybe he thought I’d be upset by the news. Instead, it was a welcome relief.

My child wouldn’t be subject to the bad blood I thought I’d been born into. I caught the look in Sage’s eyes and growled. She was terrified.

“This worthless bastard is going to enjoy redefining my legacy and this beautiful woman is going to help me do it. She will bear my children, my heirs.”

“Fuck you,” she managed.

“That’s exactly what we’re going to do, bitch.”

There was a moment where I was able to see into my father’s mind and knew exactly what he had planned. In a split second, he aimed his weapon at my chest just as Sage thrust her elbow into his chest.

Pop!

As the bullet slammed into my shoulder, I was pitched backward. Marty reacted instantly, but Hunter was too quick, unloading several shots into the man.

Sage screamed, trying to get away from my father’s tight hold.

Seconds later, the house went dark, another series of lightning bolts flashing across the sky.

I lunged forward, trying to get her into my arms, but my father’s hold remained. Scrambling closer, I threw myself on top of her, fighting my father’s hold on the weapon. He still had his hand wrapped around her throat. Anger unlike anything I’d ever experienced rushed into me. I grabbed my father’s arm and without hesitation, snapped his wrist. The cracking sound as bones were broken was followed by his angry howl.

“Take her!” I yelled as Cristiano appeared at my side.

He gathered her into his arms, dragging her away.

“No. No!” Her cries of anguish weren’t lost on me.

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