I was done thinking. Done wondering and pondering. He’d stolen from me and my family, and my blood was burning.
Fuck him.
I entered the building and stepped up to the front desk. “Where’s Michael Crist?” I demanded.
The attendant, in his pressed black suit and midnight blue tie, squared his shoulders and narrowed his eyes on me.
“Well, he’s dining right now, ma’am,” he told me, and then I caught the flash of his eyes to the wooden double doors to my right. “May I help—”
But I was gone. I charged for the doors, not waiting to be turned away or told what to do.
I grabbed both handles and turned the knobs, throwing the doors open.
“Miss!” the attendant exclaimed. “Miss! You can’t go in there!”
But I didn’t even hesitate. Screw their stupid “No Women Allowed” rule.
I walked in, my skin buzzing under the surface and my heart racing with a new high. I twisted my head left and right, vaguely taking in the room full of men in their fancy suits, with their clinking glasses and cigar smoke sitting in the air above their heads.
I finally halted, my eyes finding Michael, Kai, Damon, and Will sitting at a round table in the back. I stormed through the room, passing tables of onlookers and waiters carrying trays.
“Excuse me, ma’am!” one of them called as I shot past.
But I wasn’t stopping.
I charged over, seeing Michael turn his eyes on me, finally aware of my presence, but before he could say anything, I reached down and grabbed the bottom on the tablecloth and yanked it off, carrying all of the glasses, plates, and silverware with it.
“Shit!” Will shouted.
Everything crashed to the hardwood floor, and Kai, Will, and Damon shot back in their seats, trying to avoid the mess of food and drink spilling everywhere.
I dropped the tablecloth and steeled my jaw, glaring into Michael’s amused eyes as I stood up straight and demanded their fucking attention.
The chatter around the room had stopped, and I knew all eyes were on me.
“Miss?” a male voice charged, coming up next to me. “You need to leave.”
But I didn’t budge. I stared at Michael, challenging him.
He finally glanced at the man next to me and waved him off.
As soon as he was gone, I stepped up to the table, not caring who heard me or who was looking.
“Where is my money?” I growled.
“In my account.”
But it wasn’t Michael who answered. I looked to Kai, seeing a small smirk on his lips.
“And mine.”
I twisted my head, turning my eyes on Will and seeing his cocky grin.
“And mine,” Damon added.
I shook my head, trying to keep my body from shaking. “You’ve all gone too far,” I breathed out, shocked.
“There’s no such thing,” Kai replied. “What we can do, we will.”
“Why?” I burst out. “What did I ever do to you?”
“If I were you,” Damon joined in, “I’d be more concerned with what we’re going to do to you.”
What? Why were they doing this?
Michael leaned forward in his chair and placed his forearms on the table.
“Your house is gone,” he stated. “Your money and property? Liquidated. And where is your mother?”
My eyes rounded, realization slowly dawning as I saw the suggestion in his eyes.
My mother wasn’t on a yacht. I’d been played.
“Oh, my God,” I murmured to myself.
“You belong to us now,” Michael declared. “You’ll have money when we think you deserve it.”
I narrowed my eyes, swallowing the lump in my throat. “There’s no way you’ll get away with this!”
“Who’s going to stop us?” Damon argued.
But I looked to Michael, dealing only with him. “I’ll call your father,” I threatened.
He let out a laugh, shaking his head as he stood up from his chair. “I hope you do,” he replied. “I’d love to see the look on his face when he realizes that the Fane fortune is gone, and Trevor will get you”—his heated eyes fell down my body before continuing—“in less than pristine condition.”
I heard Will laugh under his breath as the rest of them stood up, avoiding the mess on the floor.
Michael circled the table, coming around to stand in front of me. “Now we’ve got spectators, and I don’t like that.” He glanced around the room full of gentlemen who were still watching us. “We’re heading back to my parents’ house in Thunder Bay for the weekend, and we’ll expect you within the hour.”
And he pinned me with a warning look, letting me know it wasn’t a request.
I stopped breathing and watched as he walked away, through the dining room, followed by his friends. And without a single backward glance from any of them.
Thunder Bay? Alone with them?
I shook my head. No. I couldn’t. I needed to get help. I needed to reach someone.
But I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting away the tears as I ran my hand through my hair.
There was no one. I had no one to turn to.
Who was going to stop them?
Present
CLIMBING OUT OF THE CAR, I grabbed the baseball bat from the passenger’s seat and shut the door. My pulse pumped violently, heat washing over my entire body and sweat breaking out on my forehead. I could barely breathe.
I’ll be safe. Michael and Kai would go far, but they wouldn’t hurt me. I’ll be safe.
My mother was out there somewhere, God knows where, and she was the only reason I was here.