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I narrow my eyes at her. “So you’re willing to give me another girl, but I can’t have Aria?”
“That’s right,” she says. “Aria is new as well. She wasn’t prepared for this level of contract.”
“Aria is fine,” I say. “There’s no reason for you to take her back. We’ll finish the contract as we agreed.”
“I’m sorry, Ethan. But I’m not allowed to do that.”
“Listen, Lucille. I don’t know why you’re here. You’re giving me these vague excuses, and none of it adds up. You’re clearly lying, or at least you’re keeping something from me. So until you tell me why I should give her up, we’re done here.”
I move to stand and she sighs, holding up one hand, her eyes closed. I can tell she’s pained. She’s probably not supposed to tell me the real reason why The Syndicate wants Aria back.
It’s probably something embarrassing. The fact that Lucille is here at all is a breach of their decorum. They’re normally incredibly discreet and professional and apparently pride themselves on their efficiency. But sending Lucille here to gather up Aria and to break their contract seems like it’s very out of their character.
“Please, I’ll explain.” She looks at me with a frown on her face. “Please, sit.”
I slowly sit back down and lean toward her, elbows on my knees. “Go ahead,” I say.
“It’s her father,” Lucille admits with a sigh. “He found her. We’re not really sure how, but he’s a rich and powerful man in this city. He’s coming after us and we find it’s best if we simply return the girl to her home and move on.”
“Best for whom?” I ask, anger welling up inside of me.
“Best for everyone.”
“Not for her. Not for me.”
“Please, see reason here. The Syndicate can’t risk exposure. It would be... catastrophic. For everyone involved.”
Veiled threats and ass covering, that’s all she’s here to do. The bastards want to steal Aria away from me and to return her to her bastard father, the very man that she ran away from in the first place. I can’t imagine that her father actually wants her back, whoever he is.
There’s something else here, a piece of this puzzle that I can’t see. I don’t know what’s being held back, but I can sense it, just there, just out of my grasp.
“What’s his name?” I ask Lucille.
She pauses. “Who?”
“Her father. Who is he?”
“I can’t tell you.”
I feel a stab run down my veins. It’s a flash of insight that I only understand at a gut level. The idea isn’t even conscious yet, but I feel my blood turn to ice in my veins. Cold terror runs through me.
He’s a powerful man... the kind of man that would come after her if it suits him, not because he wants to... and her last name. I think back to that conversation that night.
My face drains of color. Lucille looks concerned. “Ethan? Mr. Locks? Are you okay?”
I grab my cup of tea and drink it down. It’s not strong enough, though. I stand and quickly walk into the kitchen where I pour myself a double whisky and slam it back.
Lucille follows me, concern clear on her face. “It’s not that bad,” she says. “The Syndicate doesn’t blame you. And her father says he’ll back down if she’s returned.”
“What’s his name?” I ask her again.
Taylor. Her last name is Taylor.
“I can’t say it. Please, don’t ask me again.”
She was born rich. Her father was an asshole.
“Say it,” I whisper. “Say his name.” I feel like I’m breaking into a thousand pieces, some angry, some confused, some willing to destroy everything to get what I want.
“His name is Taylor,” she says. “Richard Taylor.”
I feel it like a knife to my gut.
I can’t process this. I can barely think.
A new voice cuts into my mind
“Ethan?”
I look up slowly. Aria is standing in the living room a few feet from Lucille.
“What’s going on?” Aria asks.
Jenkins comes in from the back room suddenly, breathless. “I’m sorry, sir. I told her to stay in her room.” He walks quickly toward her.
“Stop,” I say to Jenkins. “Please leave.”
He pauses, looks at me, and then nods. He disappears back into the other room.
Lucille turns toward Aria. “Honey. I’m with The Syndicate. I was sent here to take you home.”
“Why?” she asks. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No,” she says gently. “You did nothing wrong. Something came up though. And we need to bring you back.”
