Page 110 of Faith
Monty inhaled and jerked, snapping back. His eyes opened, and he instantly fought the binds. “Leave her alone.”
“You’re not in a position to make demands right now,” Gwendolyn said.
“Nina, get away from her,” Monty growled.
Gwendolyn slapped a hand onto Nina’s lap. Her nails dug into Nina’s thigh, and she winced.
“She’s not moving. We’re all going to have a little chat.”
“I have no interest in anything you have to say,” Nina said.
“That’s not very nice. After everything I’ve done for you.” Gwendolyn shook her head. “It doesn’t really matter what you say, though, because we’re going to sit here and talk like we used to. Maybe watch a movie. Didn’t you have a favorite?” Gwendolyn picked up the remote. “Maybe we can find it and watch it tonight. Then we’re going to leave, and your brother is going to sit here until the house is demolished.”
“What? Gwendolyn, no,” Nina said.
Gwendolyn turned to her. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
Nina closed her mouth, the years of threats and having them carried out far too fresh in her mind to ignore.
“I’ve missed you, sis,” Gwendolyn said, her voice soft. “I was so hurt when you left. And then you tried to trick me. I thought you cared about me.”
“You held her hostage. Why would she care about you?” Monty hissed.
Gwendolyn flicked her wrist. Fernando stepped forward and punched Monty in the face.
“No!” Nina shouted, moving to get up. Gwendolyn’s fingers tightened on Nina’s thigh, making her cry out in pain.
“If you move, he does it again,” Gwendolyn snarled. “If he keeps interrupting, Fernando will keep going. We’re going to talk. He doesn’t get to interrupt.”
“Monty, please,” Nina whispered.
Monty met her gaze and nodded once. He slid an angry look to Gwendolyn, but he kept his mouth shut.
“Good boy. You would have done well for me if I rented out my men. I never liked to do that, though. Too emotional. Women were much easier. I only had to kill one every few years to keep the rest in line.”
“Why did you kill them? Any of them?”
Gwendolyn looked at Nina as though she was the biggest moron. “To make sure the rest of you listened. I couldn’t have anyone trying to sneak out or fighting back. I had a few men that would take care of the women who were fighters, men who liked that kind of thing, but the rest of you just needed one dead body to remember what your duty was.”
“There’s no one left. No one to threaten. Why didn’t you just leave? Why didn’t you stop killing people and just leave?”
“You know the answer, sis. I needed you. Your brother doesn’t care about you the same way I do. He stopped looking for you a week after you came to me. Forgot all about you. I’ve been watching you every day since you left me.”
“You’re a psycho,” Monty growled.
Gwendolyn clucked her tongue at Monty, holding her hand up to stop Fernando from punching him again. “You think you’re so good, but I know all about you, Montgomery Rose. I am not afraid to use deadly force when necessary, but you have your father’s blood in your veins. There’s a dark side to you, one you can’t always control. Like the night your father left.”
“What is she talking about?” Nina asked her brother.
Monty didn’t answer.
Nina swung her gaze to Gwendolyn.
Gwendolyn looked surprised. A hand to her chest. “Me? Now you want to know what I have to say?”
Nina choked back a sob. “You’re a liar.”
“Then why would you ask me? Just ask your perfect brother. Ask him why your father finally left. Ask him how long he pounded on dear old daddy’s face. Ask him if he broke poor dad’s hand.”
