Pretty Sinner (The Oligarchs)

“Whatever she did isn’t worth this. We can still—”

“She tried to kill me. You remember my roommate, Alice? The one Kaspar killed? Well, Alice was sent by Maeve to assassinate me. To start a war and send a message. Kaspar stopped her. I know it sounds crazy, and I didn’t want to believe it, but I can’t deny the truth any longer. Kaspar saved my life and Maeve tried to kill me.”

Another long silence. He was digesting and processing. I didn’t know where he’d land on this, but it didn’t matter.

I needed him to stay away.

“How sure are you? Are you basing this on Kaspar’s word?”

“Partially, but it’s not that simple. Can you please trust me?”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “I’ll give you two days. That’s the best I can do. But if we hear that he’s moving in to finish off Maeve, I’m coming out there to bring you home.”

“Darren—”

“No arguments. I miss you, kid. I love you. You’re my sister and you belong in the manor.”

“I’ll come home when I can, okay? Maybe when this is all over.”

“I’m holding you to that.”

I smiled and nodded to myself. “Good. I’ll see you soon then.”

We hung up.

I dialed another number. It rang and rang until my mother answered.

“Yes?” Sharp, in control.

“Hello, Mom.”

She sounded more surprised than happy. “Penny.”

“How are you?”

“I should be asking that of you. Where are you right now? Wait here, I’ll get Darren—”

“I just finished talking to him,” I said quickly before she tried to hunt him down.

She sounded wary. “Really? And is he riding off to save you?”

“No, he’s not, because I’m not in trouble.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve been worried sick—”

“You know what Erin’s doing, don’t you?” I couldn’t hide the anger from my voice.

Of everyone in my family, I should’ve pitied my mother the most.

She had the least power. She married my father because she was well-bred and came with money and influence. They might’ve loved each other once, but toward the end, things fell apart. After he died, she was left alone to try to manage the best she could as her oldest son took over the Servant power structure.

She was vestigial and worthless. She wielded little power—and that always rankled her. Mom liked control, believed in hierarchy, and would do anything to regain what she’d lost.

Including helping my sister.

She let out a long, exhausted breath. “I’m aware, yes.”

“Are you helping her?”

“It was my plan to begin with, but she took it over.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Yes, Penny. I’ve been helping her.”

It was like a knife to my guts. “Do you know she sold me to Kaspar?”

“Only after the fact,” she said, pleading. “I didn’t approve—”

“You didn’t stop it though.”

“There was nothing I could do.”

“You could’ve gone to Darren.”

Ice returned to her voice. My mother wasn’t the kind of woman to lose control. I could see her sitting up straight in her chair, eyes hard.

“I did what I thought was right.”

“For you and Erin.” She didn’t say anything. I rubbed my eyes and my hand came back wet with tears. “When this over, I don’t want to hear from you.”

“Penny,” she said. “I’m your mother.”

“And I don’t care. When this is over, don’t contact me.”

“What will you do? Ignore me? How can you do that when we share a home?”

“I’m not coming back to Servant Manor.”

It was the first time I said the words out loud. It sent a ripple down my spine, but it was true.

I’d never go home again.

I didn’t want to, not since all of this happened. Erin betrayed me and my own mother did nothing to fix the situation. I was a sacrificial lamb playing the part assigned to me from birth, but I was sick of all that, sick of the lies and deceit, sick of doing what was expected.

No, I wasn’t going home, not ever again.

“Penny. Now you’re being absurd.”

“Goodbye, Mother. Tell Erin that if I ever see her again, I will kill her.”

“Penny—”

I hung up. I threw the phone onto the couch and sank onto the chair that overlooked the city.

I was leaving my family behind. And for what? A future with Kaspar?

What would I be with him?

I couldn’t picture myself as a proper Oligarch wife. Not like my mother, all serious and conservative and restrained. I didn’t want any of that.

I suspected Kaspar didn’t, either.

What would I be then? His lover, his mistress?

Or something altogether different?

I could forge my own path.

Maybe I’d marry him—and maybe I wouldn’t.

I could decide, and he’d accept whatever I chose.

Because above all else, that man loved me.

He obsessed about me, from my head to my toes. Every square inch.

Unlike anyone else in my life.

Kaspar Baskin. My nightmare. My monster.

I was rapidly falling, and I’d never pick myself up again.

30

Kaspar

Present Day

The Chicago suburbs

Maeve was holed up in a dingy strip club twenty minutes outside of the city.