Page 82 of Reckoning

And the best thing? I broke it off with Otto. I blocked his number. Blocked him on everything. As I shut my eyes I feel that wave of relief, that I’ll never have to laugh at his unfunny jokes, never have to smile at his misogynistic comments as if they’re okay. I’ll never have to pretend again.

And I make a vow, from now on I’m done playing nice, playing polite. I’m never going to sit in a room, never going to smile when I don’t want to, never going to put up with people I don’t like. If that’s the one positive I’ve taken from this entire situation, it’s that I’m no longer a people pleaser. Life is too short for me to be constantly sacrificing my own peace for the sake of others.

No, from now on I’m going to speak my mind, I’m going to act without caring what arsehole I offend.

I’m done playing the sweet, simpering, naïve idiot that society expects.

I’m so fucking done.

I take a swig of my coffee. I even pretended with that – drinking sweetened frappucino god knows what instead of the pure black delight I love.

From now on I can return to being the recluse. To being the quiet, introverted, book loving geek that spent her time avoiding crowds, avoiding gossip, avoiding everything I’ve pretended to be over the last few months.

Beside me, my phone buzzes. Now that Otto’s presence has been purged the only people who have my number is my brother, Ben of course, Holden, and Rose – not that she’s ever used it.

But it’s not a message. It’s an alert. Our security system is down. I frown, sitting up, and place the book on the side as a sinking feeling rapidly spreads through my body. Why the fuck is our system down?

Before I can get up, before I can move, it feels like an explosion goes off. Glass shatters behind me and I’m thrown from my chair onto the thick Turkish rug.

“What the…?”

Footsteps. Dozens of footsteps echo from what feels like every room beyond the one I’m in.

I scramble to my feet. My heart is racing. Fear is threatening to engulf me but I swallow that down. Whatever the fuck this is, I’m not just going to crumple, I’m going to fight back.

There’s a gun room across the hall, if I can make it there I at least have a chance of beating this.

My feet scream in protest as the glass bites into them but I force myself onwards, darting from one door to the next, with what feels like World War Three being raged around me.

As I grab the nearest rifle, my mind registers what I’ve forgotten. Who I’ve forgotten.

Lara.

Lara is here. Upstairs.

Fuck.

I click the safety off, darting once more down that same corridor but I head for what was once, centuries ago, the servants stairs, figuring they’ll be a damned sight less conspicuous than the main one.

Around me gunshots echo. Apparently our system might have failed but the men Roman left behind are at least doing their job.

When I get to Lara’s room it’s empty. Deserted.

I call out her name, I scream it. God, if I can grab her, if we can get to the gardens and hide there until Roman gets back…

My thoughts die as someone struts in behind me.

“So this is where you’re hiding…”

My throat constricts at that voice. When I turn, Otto’s Head of Security, Marsden, is smirking, like he’s caught a prize fish.

“What are you doing?” I gasp. “You can’t just attack my home…”

“The game is up.” Marsden says, folding his arms, not even caring about the rifle that I have pointed at his chest. He’s wearing a bulletproof vest. But of course he is.

“What are you talking about?” I snap back.

“You, and your brother.” He states, taking a step closer. “You think Otto didn’t know? You think he really believed you were actually dating?”

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