Page 134 of Feed Your Fiends

“She asked him for private lessons at Beaulieu. Gant was so angry that he kidnapped his own cousin.”

Why the fuck is Zedd instigating this all? Is it because of his father?

“Is that true?” Bart asks lowly.

“Partly true. I tortured him for a full day in a nest of spiders, your son bred for me.” He juts his chin to Aria’s mother, who recoils, her dark eyes boring into Aria.

“Étiennehas some problems,” she says finally. “We’re working on it now, which is why he’s out of town visiting his mother.”

“Out of town?” Bart asks, and Marselise’s lip twitches.

“That’s what I just said, Bart.”

“You know, I can be a little hard of hearing, Seli.”

“You did that to your own cousin?” Alistair says, horrified, to Gant before turning to Bart. “Do you see? Do you see what sort of influence this girl has over him?”

“Gant’s an adult now. He can have or not have whoever he wants romantically. If he’s chosen a greedy whore to represent him, then so be it so long as it’s casual. I just hope he hasn’t fallen too deeply in my footsteps. I learned my lesson the hard way.”

The pitch quiets at that. He hadn’t said Marisol’s name, but it’s obvious who he’s speaking about. Yet, his opinion of his wife doesn’t match him wanting to have a party and jewellery line in her honour.

Stassi and Aria seem to be thinking along the same lines because they exchange a long look, brows arched. Delphine says nothing, her lips pressing into a thin line as she holds her tongue. I bet everyone held their tongue in Bart’s presence.

“But I thought his obsession would’ve waned by now. He’s only interested in the girl because she’s linked to his mother.”

“How?” Delphine asks.

“Sylo didn’t tell you?” Bart asks, but it’s like he already knows, as Delphine’s expression falls. “Eloisa Ginhart leaked Marisol’s sex tape.”

Delphine covers her mouth, and Alistair looks downright revolted. “And you…you’re dating her?” he asks Gant. “Why?”

“Because it was exciting to torture her.”

I already knew that, yet hearing him say it so casually, not just in front of his horsemen but in front of their parents and his father, speaks volumes. But what’s even louder is their silence because no one seems to take issue with his blunt words.

“You haven’t finished with that yet?” Bart asks.

“No,” he says simply. “Not until she meets you.”

Bart motions with his head for Gant to follow him. I sink lower as they approach the bleachers, stopping short by a meter.

“And why is it so important that I meet her?” Bart asks, his voice low so the others don’t overhear.

“It would be therapeutic, don’t you think? To meet the girl that leaked your wife’s sex tape and caused her to rush out onto the dark street to her death. The girl who humiliated our family.”

My blood runs cold, my breath seizing as I clutch the metal bleachers tighter.

“The girl who thought her fiery cunt was fire enough to make me fall in love.”

Tears blur my vision as something stabs my heart. My ribs. Because my chest is caving in on itself.

“It would be therapeutic…” Bart smiles cruelly. “But then what?”

Then what? What have you been planning while I’ve been planning?

“And then my obsession will finally be over because she’ll become your new obsession, just like Jarett was. You turned him into a dog. It won’t be too hard to turn her into your bitch, your little pet, or whatever your heart desires.”

“You’re giving me a gift?” Bart asks, his eyes glimmering.

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