A Promise of Torment (A Violent Agenda)

Quinn is working at her computer when I walk into her office and take a seat on one of the chintzy sofas. “Where’s Rebecca?”

“I left her in the upstairs lounge watching daytime TV. I had some work to do.”

“I don’t expect you to babysit, you know,” I say.

Quinn nods. “I know, but the last thing you need right now is to worry about your mother. I’ve got her. That’s why I’m here. You just focus on what you need to do next.”

So many people around me give up their lives for me. I never asked for it.

Dante was right.

Charisma makes others drawn to me whether I like it or not. He said that when he was trying to make me read another one of his damn books. What I wouldn’t give to have him here, lecturing me on reading more.

“Dante hasn’t got in touch, has he?” I ask Quinn.

She shakes her head. “No, his phone is off grid.” She frowns when she looks at me. “Are you worried about him?”

“I don’t know,” I say honestly.

“It’s not the first time he’s gone missing,” she says. Suddenly, she narrows her eyes. “You slept with him, didn’t you?”

I don’t know what to say to that, so I say nothing.

“Jesus, Viola, is no one off limits to you?” she says, brows raised. Then she sighs. “I guess it’s been on the cards for a while. Just be careful. As I said before, he’s no good for you.”

I open my mouth to respond but then Pascal walks in with a black coffee for Quinn.

Irritation suddenly spikes in my veins. No one is moving fast enough today. It’s infuriating. And I can’t wait for Dante any longer.

If he’s even coming back.

“Pascal,” I say. “Can I borrow you for a minute?”

Quinn frowns at me but I don’t give her a chance to get involved. As soon as Pascal follows me outside, I take her on a walk with me around the perimeter to check for security breaches. It needs to be done. Dante has been doing it since we got here. I could ask one of the boys, but I feel like doing it myself.

Pascal is pretty quiet so that suits me fine as I check the windows and the exits. No one knows we are here, but break-ins happen all the time. It wouldn’t do to be caught off guard either, if any of my father’s men turn up.

“I need to borrow your phone,” I say to her.

She hesitates but then takes her phone out and hands it to me.

I immediately call Griffin.

“Pascal, where are you?” It’s a woman’s voice. A harsh one. Not Griffin

“It’s Viola, not Pascal. Is Griffin there?”

There’s muffled arguing and then Griffin comes on the phone. “You caused quite the upset last night. All I keep hearing about is the carnage you and your blue-eyed demon did at White Jade.”

Blue-eyed demon. It’s Kato’s name for Dante.

“Do you have Lily?”

“Kristian has her.”

“And Dante?”

There’s silence at the other end of the line. “Have you lost your demon already? Maybe your father’s made him a deal he can’t refuse this time, now that Rebecca is safe?”