Page 19 of Haunted Nights & Savage Sins
“What is there for him to check up on? He’s the one that agreed to this arrangement.”
“It’s his daughter. I’m sure he’s concerned for her well-being.”
“She’s fine,” I bite through the phone.
“Words. Let him see she’s fine. That’s an order.”
There’s no fighting this. “As you wish. I’ll let the security know to expect him.”
“No. You’ll go to him.”
My gut clenches, this is the real request. He wants me to leave my sanctuary. To mix with the outside world. This is all about getting me out of this house.
“I’m sure he would be more comfortable?—”
“More comfortable where? In that broken-down mansion you call your home. No. He wouldn’t and if he saw that you had his daughter living in a place like that he might think to go back onhis deal. We won’t leave anything up to chance. Go meet with him. Bring Brenna with you. Smile. Reassure him. Do whatever you have to do, just get it done.”
There is no more conversation. My father hangs up the phone, leaving me listening to a dial tone.
I want to throw the phone against the wall. Break it into pieces. But that would only mean I’d have to get a new one.
Wasteful.
I’m not looking forward to this in the least but it has to be done. I make one final call before I use the internal line to call Maxim and get him to find out where Brenna’s father is so we can meet him. I also tell him to get the car ready.
With that taken care of I’m able to focus on the one part of this whole ordeal I wish I could pawn off on someone else.
I can’t, it’s just me here.
Slowly, I make my way to Brenna’s room. I knock on the door but she’s not there. I don’t want to go searching for her. Every last one of these rooms is like a mausoleum to me. Every room filled with memories I don’t necessarily want to revisit.
“Brenna!” I shout her name, my voice echoes through the normally quiet house.
“Yes!” She screams back. She’s in the library. I should’ve guessed.
The floor groans as my heavy weight travels in that direction. I peek into the room and see her dressed in pajama pants and a T-shirt. Her legs curled under her body as she lounges in one of the only chairs that will support her weight in the room.
She looks like she belongs here. She doesn’t.
Her eyebrows are furrowed together as she stares at me.
“You need to get dressed,” I say with no lead-up.
“I am dressed.”
“No, to go outside. We have a meeting to go to.”
“A meeting?” She pulls her legs from under her body, waiting for more of an explanation.
“Yes, seems like your father wants to pay his little princess a visit.” I force a smile on my face. “You’ve got twenty minutes.” I turn and leave her there.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way I can go about getting myself ready.
There’s a whole walk-in closet in my room with my clothes. Clothes I’ve rarely had to use. That’s all changing. This is just the start.
BRENNA
My father is here in America.
