Bred by the King (Breeding Season 4)

“Only that her mother had died, and Pepper’s stepfather was taking over the company that should, by rights, go to this Pepper girl. We’re talking a billion-dollar company. Stocks, shares, and they have stakes in pretty much everything. I’m surprised you don’t know that.” Maurice munched on a potato chip as he spoke.

Viper didn’t follow the news. He didn’t read the papers, nor did he care about pampered princesses. “Out of curiosity, what happens to this fortune if the girl dies?”

“It goes to the stepfather.”

Sitting back, Viper thought about the terms of his latest contract. Pepper needed to die of natural causes, and the stepfather would inherit everything.

He didn’t like the twist in his gut.

This was just another assignment like everything else, and he wasn’t going to let feelings or emotions get in the way. Patting his fingers on his thigh, he watched the computer screen as faces all seemed to roll into one. This was the one part of the job that he hated.

He was bored.

When he was bored, he was able to think.

Thinking made him remember the past, and he didn’t want to remember the past. He wasn’t someone plagued by his fears. He had no fears.

“There she is,” Maurice said.

Viper looked up as her image was brought into focus. It was a really clear image. “When was it taken?” he asked.

“Three days ago. A grocery store near the coast.” Maurice rattled off several details and directions.

Viper didn’t need anything else. He already knew where he was going. Pulling out a wad of cash, he handed it to Maurice, and made his way toward the door.

“Viper,” Maurice said.

Turning, he saw Maurice standing, holding his keyboard. “What is it?”

“You don’t have to do this, you know? She’s innocent. There’s nothing on her. No criminal record, nothing. Her slate is completely clean. This is not like your usual kills.”

“You don’t know what I’ve got to do, and remember, anything happens, any word gets out, and you’ll die, Maurice.” He wouldn’t want to kill the man in front of him. Even though he was a slob, he kind of liked him, and that wasn’t heard of much in his line of work. He shouldn’t use the same man over and over again, but Maurice had proven himself, and he didn’t want to lose a valuable asset.

“See you soon,” Maurice said.

Viper was already out of the door, but he heard it.

****

Pepper stared out at the ocean, wondering if she would be able to stay here for another couple of days. It was a quaint, little town near the sea, and it was home to a lot of tourism. The beach where she stood right now was completely covered with people, with families. Would

she be safe here?

She didn’t know how far her father was willing to push everything. He wanted money. She knew that. From the moment her mother, her sweet, beautiful mother, had brought him home, Pepper had seen through him. He’d been a gold-digger. A horrible excuse for a human being. She had even seen him cheating on her mother with one of the staff. That had really sickened her, and what she hated most, her mother hadn’t believed her.

Yes, Pepper came from a rich family, but her relationship with her mother had always been solid. When her father died, they’d had each other, until this monster came out of nowhere, and was intent on destroying them. She hated him to her core, and that didn’t help. Even when the abuse and violence had started, her mother hadn’t been able to see past her own insecurity.

Then, of course, Pepper had to run, and now she couldn’t even go home for her mother’s funeral.

In order to gain the fortune, her stepfather needed her dead. She wasn’t an idiot. All he’d wanted all along was her mother’s fortune, and when Pepper died, it would all go to him.

A gust of wind hit her, and she held onto the hat, making sure it didn’t blow off. She was wearing a hat and a pair of glasses. With her image over the news, she didn’t want anyone to see her. Fortunately, there wasn’t an updated picture, and she looked nothing like she did when she was fifteen. The picture was a cold reminder of the last time she was happy, when her mother was happy. She should probably dye her blonde hair, but it grieved her to change the locks that her mother spent hours lovingly caring for. They would sit in her father’s study, and her mother would brush her hair, waiting for him to finish. Pepper looked similar to her mother, only lighter, and fairer-skinned. She burned easily in the sun, and always had to use sun lotion, which she hated wearing.

She remembered her mother rubbing the awful stuff all over her, saying if she wasn’t careful she’d burn to a crisp. Then she would watch her mother do it herself. It was amazing how touching, how meaningful those memories were. At the time, they were just a nuisance, but now it was something more.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she turned away from the sight of the ocean, and began to walk back to the main path.

The scent of doughnuts, fried chicken, and fries was heavy in the air. She wasn’t hungry, and even if she was, she wouldn’t eat outside.