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Tamsin had just wanted to be close to Mason and not freak out about the prying eyes. In doing so, she had walked right into a trap. Paul had approached without her even realizing it. There was no way out and if she left the dance floor with Mason, it would show their enemies there was a weakness within the Savonas line. She couldn’t do that to Mason. To Paul, yes, without a doubt. Not to Mason. She didn’t want to make his life any more difficult than it already was.
She saw the glare on her husband’s face and knew this was hard for him.
Pulling away from Mason, she kept that fake smile on her lips and turned toward her father-in-law. “Why, yes, that would be lovely.”
Lies poured from her lips. How did people do this every single day?
Paul placed a hand at her waist and another around her back, and he forced them to be close. It took all her willpower not to throw up in her mouth, which she considered a win.
Being near Paul disgusted her, and it hadn’t gotten better as she got older, especially knowing his enjoyment of young girls. It was sick to know that at nearly nineteen years old, she would be considered too old for him. This man was a monster, and the fact they couldn’t kill him or remove him from the equation pissed her off.
Tamsin couldn’t recall ever wanting to kill anyone. There were moments she had thought about it with regard to her father, but that was just the usual parent-child stuff. Maddox being dead hadn’t made her life any easier.
“You’re looking ravishing tonight,” Paul said. There was a slight purr to his voice and she tried not to shudder.
This man was gross. She wanted nothing to do with him.
“It is a beautiful gathering. I wonder how much money has been raised for the event.” She tried to keep the conversation light.
“Are you trying to make me believe you give a fuck about these people and about this event?” Paul asked.
“You don’t?”
Paul snorted. “That’s what you’ve got to love when it comes to foolish girls like yourself. You think there’s a way to make the world better again. Like you can wave a magic wand, but that is not the case. The world is full of monsters and there are people who need to be fucked in this world and those that do the fucking. Cat and mouse. Strong and weak.”
“And you don’t think people can be both?” she asked.
“No. No one can be both. There are those that are strong and lead, and those that need to know their place and stay there.”
She hated this man.
Tamsin had thought her hatred was only toward her father, but there was a special place for Paul Savonas.
“Take my son, for example,” he said. “He’s a strong man and I know he will make a good leader, however, my thoughts about him are starting to … change.”
She tried not to tense up, but it was next to impossible with Paul holding her. She was sure he had tried to pull her a little closer. His breath seemed to fan across her face. He was way too close for comfort.
“Why?” Tamsin asked.
“Simple. The boy has a job to do and that is to get you pregnant. Two years I’ve given him a chance to be a man and knock you up, and are you pregnant?”
She wasn’t going to justify his crudeness with a response. Keeping her wits about her was the only way to survive.
Paul tutted. “I’m starting to think I should take care of this little problem myself.”
“Mind if I cut in?”
Tamsin turned toward Jacob, her eldest brother, and it had been a long time since she had felt relief at her brother being there. She quickly pulled away from Paul and went to her brother. He had saved her where Mason could not. To cut in on his father would appear rude.
Jacob immediately moved her out of the way and Tamsin noticed that several more couples had joined them on the dance floor.
At first, she and Jacob didn’t say a word. She was a little surprised to find herself shaking.
“It’s okay,” Jacob said. “I’ve got you.”
She didn’t want to appear weak, but she couldn’t stop shaking. Jacob held her a little tighter.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
