A Promise of Torment (A Violent Agenda)

“What?”

“It says the request was put in by me.”

“Your father could have faked your signature.”

“No, it’s more than that. They would only have released her to me.” I reach into Dino’s pocket and take out his phone. Then I snap a photo of the transfer request and Dante’s file and slip his phone back into his pocket.

“This was in the same envelope,” Dino says, handing me a flash drive. I walk over to my father’s laptop, start it up, and then slot it in.

“You know the password?” Dino asks as I unlock it on the first try.

“What do you think I’ve been doing in this house for the last two months,” I say, looking at him.

Dino narrows his eyes at me, and then nods.

The drive only has one file on it. A video. I press play and recognize what it is immediately. It’s footage from the security camera behind the front desk of Beckbridge House. A young girl with long blonde hair peeking out from beneath her hoodie comes into reception. She signs something and a moment later they wheel my mother out. The girl, whoever she fucking is, leaves with Rebecca just as a van pulls up outside and three men in dark suits get out. They hoist my mother’s wheelchair into the vehicle and leave. Then the tape ends. I rewind it and watch it again, noticing the time stamp is the same date of the transfer request.

“At least now I know it couldn’t have been Dante. He excels at so many things but looking like me isn’t one of them.”

“Could he have hired an actress and the muscle?” Dino says.

Dante works alone. Always alone. Working with me was the exception. No. If Dante wanted to move my mother, he would do it in a way that involved no one else. Fuck pretending, he’d just break in.

I say all of this to Dino who just huffs. “Let’s not talk about that fucker anymore,” he says. “It’s giving me a headache.”

That girl wasn’t an actress. I know who she is. I also recognized Griffin’s men in the video. I don’t say that to Dino. I just shrug and take the drive out of the laptop and then shut it down. Then I tuck the drive into my bra, hiding it out of sight as I rearrange my cleavage.

Dino is watching me, moistening his lips.

“Let’s go,” I say.

“Not just yet,” Dino says, tugging me back into his embrace. He kisses my neck and slips a hand inside my bra, squeezing my breast. “You can’t flash me like that and then leave me like this.” He presses against me so I can feel how hard he is as he teases my nipple.

“Not here,” I say, even though a small moan escapes me.

“You weren’t complaining in the bathroom,” he says in a velvet soft voice.

We’re interrupted by the door to the office opening.

It’s Kristian leaning against the entrance. “You two seem to be at it like rabbits. Keeping her all to yourself again, little brother, that’s hardly fair. Sharing is caring,” he says.

Dino pushes me behind him as though to protect me. I roll my eyes. I’m not interested in watching the Vice brothers fight over me.

“Let me handle this,” I say to Dino, passing him the papers. “Can you put these back the way they were?”

“Wait,” Dino says but I push past him, shooting him a look over my shoulder. “Just listen to me for once.” Dino frowns, but then sighs and turns to the cabinet and the mess of paper. Leaving me to deal with his brother blocking the exit.

“Move,” I say to Kristian as I reach him.

When he doesn’t, I smile sweetly, stalk right up to him, and grab him by the balls. I don’t hesitate to dig my nails in. He flinches, but his eyes twinkle and he groans like he’s turned on. Great. Another Vice who likes being tortured. Were they dropped on their heads as children?

“Move or I’ll snap one off,” I say, meaning his balls.

“I meant what I said. You’re with the wrong brother. I know what you are, and he is nothing like you.”

“You’re right,” I say, twisting harder. “He’s nothing like me.”

He grins, pressing closer, ignoring the harsh way I’m holding him, wrapping a hand around mine instead to tighten my grip. “You’re more like me than you know. Breaking you is going to be sweet fun,” he says softly in the shell of my ear.