Page 25 of Haunted Nights & Savage Sins
I cut her off, “You will stay. And if I find out you’ve tried to run away again, maybe this time I won’t stop the dogs from getting their fangs on you. You’ll be just as damaged as me when they drag you back in here. Then I’ll tie you to the bed and have you live out the rest of your days on your back staring at the ceiling.”
Her eyes darken and she grimaces at me. “On my back, the perfect position to be in for you to force that heir you and your father so desperately want.”
I know she meant for those words to cut me deep but they merely bounce off with no effect.
I know what kind of hellish ghouls come from my stock. The last thing I want is to further that line.
If she or anyone else thinks they will ever get a child from me they are in for quite the disappointment.
It’ll never happen.
I’ll hold my father back as long as I need to. Tell him what he wants to hear. Promise that we are trying but as far as I’m concerned this cursed bloodline will die with me.
8
BRENNA
I’m stuckin a constant state of limbo when it comes to Cormac.
The man has a lot of bark but so far there’s no bite to him.
I’ve been pushing little by little.
First, I started with the lights. I turn them on in every room I’m in and he doesn’t turn them off.
I found an old radio that had Bluetooth and allowed me to connect my iPod. The speakers are old and have seen better days, but I play my music loud. Sometimes so loud he has to come in and ask me to turn it down.
I know I shouldn’t, but the fact that I can get under his skin in even that small of a way makes me feel good. Lets me know the man is only just human. A human who was forced into this just like I was.
Now when I walk around, he doesn’t glare at me until I go away. He actually asks if I need something or have any questions. I usually don’t. A house is a house anywhere.
As I’m walking around near the kitchen area of the house, I realize that it’s a shame that it’s not being put to better use. I cook myself meals, but Cormac and I have yet to share one together. Maybe one day I can make him a big meal and we can sit together to eat like normal people. At least as normal as we can be.
I don’t even know when he makes time to eat. Since I’ve been here, I’ve seen him eat a scone that was store-bought and drink whiskey.
It’s sad.
Before I can fall further down that rabbit hole, I hear the in-house phone ring. I’ve come to realize that it only rings when one of the security has something to tell him. The last time it rang, it was because one of the dogs had gotten into something they shouldn’t have, but the time before that it was because someone had come to visit.
I feel like a dog myself, excited just because we have company. I really need to figure out a way to get more social interaction.
I wait in the hallway expecting to see Killian come walking down, but when a man I’ve never seen before turns the corner, I quickly make myself scarce.
Watching from around the corner, I see Maxim, the head security guard, escort a man to the parlor room where I’m sure Cormac is sitting brooding away.
I wait until Maxim leaves and walks back down to where I’m sure he’s posted. I take that as my chance to do a little bit more eavesdropping. It’s the only way I’m able to keep up with what’s going on in life. It’s not like there are any TVs in the house. The entire country could be at war right now and I wouldn’t know. I have to talk to Cormac about that. How has he been living life without an idiot box?
I lean against the wall, taking up the position that I’ve realized is the easiest for me to hear what is going on inside.
“Everything is going to plan with the Doyle projects. Your father wants to make sure that you have everything you need to oversee all of your new employees.”
I can’t see him, but I have a feeling Cormac is as annoyed by this conversation as I am listening to it.
“If my father wanted to be this hands-on with how I’m running things over here, maybe he shouldn’t have given me the responsibility in the first place.”
“Oh, no. Your father has all the faith in the world in you. I’m just making sure you’re not in need of any assistance. And also to let you know about a port we want to get control of. Your father thinks it would be a perfect opportunity for you to spread your wings, so to say. It should be an easy takeover.”
“Which port?”
