Page 116 of Tragic Empire
“Did I enjoy watching you die? WatchingColedie right after? Are you insane? No! It was horrifying. I hated it.”
“Pity.” Bron frowns. “I put it on just for you.”
No.
He can’t mean…
“You did all of this?” I ask and then swallow hard.
“Of course,” he answers like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “No one cares for you as much as I do, Ana. I’ve beentryingto show you that.”
“By killing your son?” I wheeze, finding it hard to breathe. “By texting me those awful things and kidnapping me?”
This is too much.
Before Bron can answer my demands, I get a better look at our surroundings. Spot lights are lighting up the room, hanging above us from high ceilings. The white walls are deteriorated with chipped paint and the remnants of nails and installations.
My mother’s old art study… A building Bron bought for her as a wedding gift. I’ve only been here a handful of times, but the faint smell of paint thinner and the specks of color tattering the wood floor have me convinced that I know exactly where we are.
And we aren’t alone. Tightly bound to a support pole behind Bron, I find a familiar face. Not the one I’m most concerned about, but a friendly face all the same.
“Killian! How did you find him? You better not hurt him again,” I growl, teeth bared. “He hasn’t done anything.”
I’m not tied to the floor like my stepbrother, but I’m not strong enough to spring to my feet either. And even if I was, there’s a shiny, black Glock in Bron’s hands that makes running sound like a terrible idea.
“Oh I caught my dearest son on his way back to you,” Bron explains dully. “I’m a bit disappointed I’ve been able to get the drop on him twice, but he’s still got years to learn.”
My fists clench. “He won’t have any years if you have your goons try to kill him again.”
Bron waves me off. “He’s alive, isn’t he? I have no intention of killing my only heir. The bullet was a lesson, and witnessing this is the review.”
“Witnessingwhat?”
“So eager.” He clicks his tongue. “Don’t you want to catch up, love? I’m sure you’ve got a million questions swimming around in that head of yours.”
“Cassi—”
“Notabout him,” Bron snaps, interrupting. “We’ll deal with him in a moment. I meant aboutme, Ana.Me.”
Swallowing, I attempt to cooperate. “How did you even get into the building? I thought it was supposed to be secure.”
“Itissecure,” Bron says with a chuckle. “Forourfamily. It’s my building, Ana. You think I don’t know about every weakness? About every hidden door?”
“Hidden door?” I gape.
“There’s a hidden elevator in my closet, has been since I bought the place. It came in very handy to keep an eye on you after you found most of my cameras.”
Most of.There’s somehow more?
“Its location also tested my ability to risk rushing my plans. I mean, my bed, Ana? You let him fuck you in my bed? You thought I was dead, and you pissed on my memory like that? I wanted to fucking strangle you for crossing that line, and I’ve never wanted to hurt you physically, love. Ever.”
“Why do you care so much who I touch?” I sniffle, trying not to cry. I need to stay composed. “That’s what this is about, isn’t it? Cole and I had sex, so you had him killed? Now you want to do the same to Cassio?”
Bron’s face hardens. “Stop saying his name! You know what? Let’s get started, I need to see him bleed.”
I watch in horror as the same men from the apartment drag three bodies into the room with us. Armani is still half-unconscious, Colton is fuming mad, and Cassio looks like he’s analyzing every detail around us, formulating a way to get us all free.
“The big one fought like a tiger,” Bron tells me, lips flat and unamused. “Had to shoot him up twice and double knot his binds. He’ll probably barely feel his death, what a shame.”
