“She can take it.”
Penny jumped to her feet, seething. “You’re an asshole.” She gestured around at my office. “What’s all this worth if we’re just a bunch of broken monsters living in a pretty house?”
“You’re being dramatic.” I looked back down at the papers stacked in front of me. Letters to sign, financial accounts to pore over, plans to read and reread. Running a war against another Oligarch wasn’t exactly cheap or easy.
Before Penny could lob out the incredibly intelligent and cutting rejoinder she had perched on the tip of her tongue, the door slammed open. Anthony strode in, grinning hugely and breathing hard.
He was the youngest of our family at only twenty-three. We were nearly ten years apart, and although I’d resented him when he was first born—I was a little kid back then, in my defense—we’d grown close. What had happened to Liv only sped up that change, and though he’d seemed like an outsider during those early days, I loved him as fiercely as I loved my sisters.
“You guys have to come see this.” He was breathing hard like he’d run ten miles. “That girl’s going nuts.”
I perked up. “Winter?”
His grin got bigger. “Seriously, you have to get out here.” Anthony had a way about him—magnetic, exciting. It made people want to be his friend and even I wasn’t immune to that charming smile and boyish mop of dark red hair. His eyes were a light blue—so different from everyone else—but his face was all my mother.
I followed him into the hall, with Erin and Penny tagging along. I wished they’d stay behind, but I had a feeling Penny wouldn’t let me go anywhere near Winter alone right now. Not when she was so convinced that I planned on torturing the girl.
I didn’t. I had no reason to. She had nothing useful for me, and so long as she didn’t do anything destructive or try to escape, I’d let her live in comfort until this was all over.
I sinned. Every day I found a new way to smear my soul with black. It came with my business, and as much as it kept me awake at night wondering if I was damned for all of eternity, I still did whatever I had to do to maintain power and shape the world into what I wanted.
In this life, only ruthlessness got results.
But being ruthless didn’t mean wasteful, and hurting Winter would be a waste.
Needless, pointless. There was nothing to gain from that.
So long as the girl didn’t make trouble.
Which, of course, she did.
Anthony led us down the steps and out into the backyard. I found Winter standing next to the pool with a wheelbarrow full of books—very old, very expensive books.
Several staff and guards stood around, looking like they wanted to die. Nobody moved to touch her. I’d made it clear to everyone that Winter was not to be stopped or harmed unless she went somewhere off-limits or broke one of my rules.
Apparently, I hadn’t dreamed up this scenario.
“Oh, lovely, you’re here.” She smiled at me and lifted up a large leather-bound tome with gold filigree all around the spine and the front cover. If I remembered correctly, that was an eighteenth-century religious text on apocryphal biblical stories. “This one looks like it cost a fortune.”
“Winter,” I said, tone warning.
She tossed the book into the water.
I stared as the priceless artifact bobbed to the surface, then began to sink.
The bottom of the pool was littered with objects: an old Tiffany clock worth thousands, small statues, paintings, candlesticks, sterling silver plates, and other antiques. Some of it could be salvaged, but most of it would be ruined.
I wondered how long Anthony had been watching her before he came to get me.
She picked up another book. Smaller, green leather. I didn’t know what it was. She idly flipped the pages.
“I was thinking. This house is full of crap.” She threw the book into the water, grabbed another. “Priceless stuff. You rich people love accumulating expensive junk, you know? I figured, while I’m here, I could help you out with a little spring cleaning.” She laughed to herself. “Spring cleaning. Get it? God, I hate that name, but I can’t resist a good joke.”
I knew the others wouldn’t get it. I hadn’t shared her dossier with any of them. But I understood the black humor.
“Put the books down.” I walked closer.
She glared at me. “Don’t move or I’ll dump them all.”
“Where in all the hells did you even get that?” I asked, gesturing at the wheelbarrow.
“Stole it from the supply shed. Did you know you have a supply shed?”
“Of course. Stop playing this stupid game, Winter. Do you think this is going to change anything for you?”
“I think it’s getting your attention.”
I gestured around at the staring witnesses. “Mine and everyone else’s.”