She loves me as much as I love her.
“Yes. I told you, Lance, you’ll always be my forever choice. No matter what you do, or whose blood you come home drenched in.” I thought she couldn’t shock me any more than she already has over the past few days. But her raw honesty in those words of conviction only solidifies my love for her.
“So, when I come home and tell you I shot my mother in cold blood, you’ll still love me?” This was something I never thought she’d forgive. Not because I had to do it, but because her own father had Guinevere killed. The asshole killed his wife, and he doesn’t feel an ounce of guilt.
“Just come home. We can talk about the rest when you’re here.”
“Go to sleep, princess,” I order her, reminding her of a moment when she was seventeen, and I’d climbed to her balcony, and she said she felt like a princess stealing kisses from a knight in shining armor.
“Till I see you again, Knight.” She smiles, and I can hear it in her words. I hang up before we spend the rest of the evening mumbling our goodbyes. Leaving my phone on the nightstand, I close my eyes. Hopefully sleep will steal me.
Giuliana
Opening my eyes, I find myself still in my bedroom. I thought my father would have a change of heart and shove me into the dungeon to wait for Lance. Sending him to kill his own mother is downright evil, but that’s what Arthur does. He toys with you until you’re indebted to him, needing him for support.
The soft bed sheets feel luxurious against my skin as I push the blankets from covering me. The warmth in the room is cocooning me as I replay the call from last night in my mind. My chest aches when I think about Lance being out there, doing a job like that for my father, to prove his love for me.
“Giuliana.” A knock at the door startles me from my thoughts of what Lance confessed last night. “Would you like to have breakfast with me?” It’s not him being nice to me because nothing my father does is meant to be nice. Foreboding settles in my gut at my father’s insistence.
“Yes, Father,” I respond, making sure he knows I’m awake. Something tells me if I didn’t make my way down there, he’d have come into the room and dragged me out. Pulling on a pair of sweatpants, I find a tank top and slip it on. Once I’m dressed, I tie my hair into a messy bun and head down the stairs.
The moment my feet touch the cool wooden floors, I hear him. My father is on a call. I’m not sure who he’s speaking to, but it sets my senses on alert.
“I’ll make sure she’s there,” he informs the person. “You promised you’d help with this, and we will both benefit from it.” He’s silent for a long while before he says his goodbyes. I wait a beat before stepping into the dining room to find my father staring out at the lush gardens of our estate. “If you’re going to spy on me, darling, you shouldn’t wear that perfume. It wafts through the room before you even enter.”
“I wasn’t spying, Dad,” I retort as I walk farther into the room. The floors are a smooth, creamy color with dark marble patterns. My dad’s taste in décor doesn’t match mine.
“I’m sure you weren’t, Giuliana.” He turns toward me, piercing me with those blue eyes that have always picked out all my secrets, my innermost thoughts. Growing up, I could never hide anything from him, even Lance and me. “I’d like you to accompany me to an event coming up soon,” he states, still staring at me.
“Oh?” I settle at the dining room table. Picking up the jug of orange juice, I fill my glass that’s been set beside a placemat and take a look at my dad again. Arching my brow, I shrug before asking, “And what exactly is this event? You send me away for two years because—”
“I sent you away to save you from yourself, Giuliana,” he bites out angrily.
“Save me from myself?” I push to my feet, causing my chair to squeak along the floor. “Are you fucking kidding me?” The shrillness of my voice echoes around me.
“Language,” he warns with a low, dangerous tone.
“No, I’m tired of being a puppet in your games, Dad. I’m done.” I gulp the juice and turn toward the door. “I’m done.”
“Sit down, Giuliana,” he orders, his voice turning gruff. “If you want your chance with Lance Knight, you will sit down and listen to my terms.” There’s no inflection in his tone to tell me he’s lying. “I’m serious, darling,” he affirms, gesturing to the chair I just vacated.
Sighing, I settle on the chair, watching him for a moment before he nods, sips his coffee, and offers me a smile that’s far from the loving parent but more the professional businessman.
“If you want Lance, I’ll not stand in your way,” he begins, but I know there’s more. “But I want you to see the real man before you make up your mind.” He watches for a moment before he leans forward on his elbows.
“What do you mean?”
“There’s an event coming up, and I’d like you to accompany me. You’ll be able to see who Lance really is.” There’s a glint in his eyes that reminds me of what a devil would look like.
“What kind of event?” I question slowly, unsure of what’s coming. Whatever it is, it can’t be good.
“Lance will be completing a job for a good friend of mine. And I’d like you to witness him in his element.” This was his plan all along. It dawns on me that my father is a sadistic asshole who’ll never stop fucking with people’s lives.
“You want me to watch Lance kill?” My voice is stilted, the pain clear in my tone. He nods slowly, as if he’s waiting for me to say no. “And what’s in it for you?”
“I want you to make an informed decision. You’ve been in this life, growing up with the Tabella right in your home. It’s time you learned about who my soldiers really are.” As if he’s just closed a business deal, he leans backward, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He watches me intently.
“Fine. It won’t change anything though. You know that, right? My feelings are not going to change for Lance. I love him.” Pushing my seat back, I rise, keeping my eyes on him. I wait for him to respond.