Page 196 of Hexed
His chin stiffens, and he nods, leaning down and pressing a kiss to my lips.
“I’m doing this for us,” he tells me. “So we can finish this and I can love you out loud. In this life.”
Emotion swells in my sternum, and I nod, kissing him once more, and then I back away and watch him walk down the hallway to play the role and convince the princess she’s won her prince.
FIFTY-THREE
VENESA
There area lot of places I’ve imagined ending my uncle’s life.
His home.
His office.
TheAquata.
But in the end, I decided being on my home turf was the best choice. I needed somewhere familiar, somewhere that would benefit me if things didn’t go as planned. Which it’s highly probable they won’t. The only thing you can count on in life is the unexpected, so you might as well play to your own advantage as much as possible.
Enzo played his role perfectly, and because of it, Aria came along willingly to the Lair, then allowed me to restrain her on the table she had me on two days ago before we went to the cabin, and flipped her to our side.
Uncle T was a little hard to find because he’d been out in the middle of the ocean, and I didn’t want to play our hand too soon.
But that’s okay because it gave me time to plan.
I have Aria chained and ready to be “tortured,” and if Uncle T doesn’t show up alone to save her, then I’m going to kill her,and I’ll broadcast my grandfather’s documents to the world so he loses everything.
His fame. His fortune. His title as King of the Sea. He’d probably end up in prison for arson and murder too, but that’d just be icing on the cake, to be honest.
That’s what Bastien’s told him at least, because as far as my uncle is concerned, Bastien is still working with him and not against him. Using Bas as the way to get Uncle T here was the simplest option. We’ll save the dramatics for later.
And now we wait.
Bastien and Enzo aren’t far away, keeping an eye out on the Lair’s parking lot so they can tell me when Uncle T shows up. I made them promise to stay out of things unless it was a life-or-death situation, because even though I know I don’t have to take care of myself, some things are better when I do them. All the men in my life have this nasty habit of jumping in when they don’t need to, and it’stiring.
My hand presses against the glass of my aquarium, my heart full as I watch my babies, Jack and Flora.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around much, pookies. Mommy won’t leave you for so long again.”
A scoff from behind me makes me bristle, but I don’t turn around. “Something to say, sweet Cousin?”
“Oh, believe me, I have a lot of things to say. But I shouldn’t waste my breath.”
Her voice is cocky in a way that shows she carries the same gene as her father: overconfidence, which will end up being her downfall just as much as his.
As far as Aria knows, after this is over, I’ll provide her with freedom and all the money she wants so she and Enzo can ride off into the sunset together.
Like I said, delusional.
Sighing, I tap the glass to Jack and Flora one more time and then stand before grabbing my black salt and walking around the perimeter, sprinkling it in a circle close to the edges of the wall.
“What are you doing?” Aria asks, trying to turn her head to watch me. It’s difficult, since she’s chained.
“A protection circle.”
“Is this more of that witchy bullshit?”
“It’s not bullshit. It’s working with the elements, and nature, and the universe.” I cut her a look. “I’d tell you to try it, but knowing you, you’d fuck up the cosmic order of things and we’d all pay the price.”
