Page 90 of Inferno

I keep my eyes pinned on her as she skirts around the table and runs past Vlad.

“You don’t trust me?” Vlad scoffs and steps forward, clenching his fist.

“Me? After what you did, you dirty whore. You don’t trust me?” he shouts.

I don’t flinch as he pushes the chair away from the table and it knocks against the floor.

I lift my chin. I won’t shrink from him.

He picks up the paper and shoves it into my chest.

“Sign it. The perfect assignment for a slut like my wife.” His saliva hits my cheek and I wipe it away with the sleeve of my cardigan.

I take the paper and back away until my butt hits the cupboard.

“Surprised you aren’t jumping for joy. Time away, and you get to be a whore.” His lips twist into a grin as he twirls my hair around his finger.

He pulls it, and I wince.

“You’re lucky you’re an asset to my family; otherwise, you’d be dead by now,” he seethes.

Pulling back, his evil eyes stare into mine as he grips my jaw.

“And, I like having you as my pet. Locked up and under my thumb. Turns me on.” He grabs his junk, and my nose scrunches.

I wince as he leans in and slaps a sloppy kiss on my cheek.

“Make sure the brat is in bed before I get home. I want an evening with my wife. It could be one of our last.” He releases me and winks, stomping towards the front door.

I grab the counter after throwing the contract down and take in a shaky breath.

Hatred. That is all I feel.

Every time he touches me, I imagine the joy it would bring me to stab him through the throat.

One day.

“Mommy? Can we read now?” Isabella asks once the door slams shut.

“Coming, baby,” I call out.

I fluff my hair back out, grab my coffee, and head in to see her.

She’s happy, giggling away to herself as she plays with her dolls in their sparkly pink dresses.

I don’t care how much pain I have to endure if it means that smile stays on her face forever.

“Which book?” I ask. She looks up at me with her enormous blue eyes, all bright and full of life.

She pouts and taps her lips.

“I was thinking, your special one again?” she says, giving me a cheeky grin.

“Didn’t we finish it last night?” I tilt my head.

She’s desperate for me to change it.

I wish I could rewrite my past.

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