Page 108 of Hook

“Gwendolyne!” He calls after me, but I’m not stopping. I sprint for my room, needing alone time.

I slam the door behind me, locking it firmly to ensure no one will be able to enter without permission. I can only hope he doesn’t have a copy of the key because all I want is solace in order to process and reflect on all the emotions swirling inside me like a raging storm.

The moment he gets word of my return, he has the wolves descending. If it isn’t bad enough that I’d been kidnapped for the past month, my dad brings another mob boss here to greet me. One who wants to fuck me and use me like Cillian did. A thought that makes me sick to my stomach. The idea of being with Piero used to be appealing.

A knock on my door sets me on high alert. “Sweetheart, open the door and we can talk.”

All I want to do is tell him to go away, but I’ve never been brave enough to stand up to him. With a sigh, I open the door. “What do you want?”

“I’ve called Piero to tell him you’re not ready for visitors.”

At least he listened. “Thank you,” I mumble.

“I can’t imagine what you’ve been through at the hands of that monster.” Every muscle in his body tenses and he clenches his fists so hard I hear the popping of his knuckles. “Trust me when I say I’m going to make him pay.” His voice is raw with anger and determination, and all I can think of is what he’d do to Cillian if he had the chance.

“Please don’t do anything,” I beg. “It’ll cause problems.” I place a hand on his arm, unsure why I’m begging him to spare Cillian. “It’s best if you leave it alone.”

“Leave it alone?” he scoffs, shaking his head. “What kind of man would I be if I left it alone?”

“The bigger one.”

Seconds pass by, thick and heavy with anxiety, until he finally breaks the silence. “There’s no way I can ignore the fact that he kidnapped you… That he did God knows what to you.” His face darkens and I feel hot at the mention of what Cillian did to me.

If my father knew all the things that Cillian did, he’d go ballistic and murder him without a second thought. The thought scares me. I don’t want any harm to come to Cillian, but perhaps that’s still the after effects of Stockholm Syndrome.

“I would rather you buried the hatchet and moved on, but I can’t tell you what to do.”

My father steps closer to me and places a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

His eyes search mine for an answer, but I’m too overwhelmed with conflicting emotions to give him one.

“I…I don’t know,” I finally whisper, realizing that the truth has slipped out. I don’t know if I will ever be the same. Not because of what Cillian did to me as such, but because I fear I’ve fallen for him.

“I’m happy you’re home and safe,” he says softly. “Is there anything I can do for you? Anything you need?”

I shake my head, as there’s nothing he can do for me. “I need rest and time alone.”

He nods in response and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Take all the time you need, sweetheart. The staff will take care of your needs while you rest.”

I attempt a small nod as he pulls away, and his gaze lingers on me for a few seconds before he finally walks out, leaving me alone.

I curl into a ball on the bed and pull the covers over myself, desperately wishing I could escape from my own thoughts.

Cillian had been like oxygen in my world—and now that he’s gone, I’m suffocating again in my life here at home. I’d been so used to being alone... Suddenly I realize how lonely my life has been all these years.

* * *

“Gwendolyne!”

My eyes shoot open at the sound of my dad’s voice. “Dad?”

“You’ve been sleeping for twenty-four hours, sweetheart.” He sits on the edge of my bed, moving a strand of hair out of my face. “I need you to grab a shower and get dressed for dinner with Piero.”

My brow furrows. “I told you, I don’t want to—”

“Enough, Gwendolyne. Piero is your fiance. Nothing on that front has changed.”

“That’s the grace I get? Twenty-four hours to recover from being kidnapped.”

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