Aaron gripped me tighter as the door opened. A horde of thugs tumbled into the room, spreading out across the floor.

My father strode through them. His gait confident and purposeful; his glare fixed on me as he marched in our direction. He raised a hand to halt the mass of guys surrounding us. Then stopped ten feet away. He folded his arms and shook his head as he eyed us over.

“Well, isn’t this a picture postcard moment?” He cocked his head to the side and grimaced. “As much as I love to break up such a tender reunion, I’ll take a lot more pleasure in beating the life out of both of you.”

It was a better reaction than I’d expected.

He pointed at Aaron. “You. I will get you first. Torture you within an inch of your life and then bring you back so I can do it all over again. I’m going to do that so she can watch.” He pointed at me. “Then I will start on you.”

He growled and threw his hands in the air. “What the fuck are you playing at, Olivia? I knew you had some nerve, but today, you’ve surpassed yourself. Are you trying to push my limits? You fight with me, you kick me in the nuts, you steal my car, what for? To get to this cunt? Is he worth the pain I’m about to put you through?”

I nodded. “Yes, and I’d do it all again.”

He laughed and gestured about the room. “Why? You’re still here. You can’t get out. All that to come and look into his sweet, swollen eyes?”

“It beats staying in that house looking at you.”

“Girl, you cannot even imagine how fucked off I am with you right now. So, don’t try my patience!” He clenched his fists in front of him. Then took a breath as he collected himself. “I’ll ask you again, why?”

I stepped from Aaron’s arms and he tried to pull me back. Glancing up, I shook my head then turned to face my father. My breathing faltered as I prepared to tell him about Marcus.

This was the hardest thing I’d ever needed to say. It wasn’t fear that made the words catch in my throat, it wasn’t what he’d do to me. It was what the words would do to him. This differed from all the shit I’d given him in the past, this time I’d betrayed him.

Even though I hated my father, I knew it would hurt. “Marcus is on his way.”

His eyes narrowed as he glared. There was no anger, just a long, piercing stare that chilled me from the inside out.

His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke. “What?”

“You’ve not long before he gets here.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Olivia, what have you done?”

The guilt sat like a rock in my chest. “I had to do it.”

He ran his hand across his jaw. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any worse, you drop this little bombshell.”

“You left me no choice.”

“I’ll give you no choice. You’re never gonna have one again. How did…?” He huffed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “The phone, I gave you the phone. You devious little bitch. That’s what the fight was about. You distracted me.”

I nodded. “That was part of it.”

He laughed. “If it wasn’t for all these stab wounds, I’d almost be proud.” He held up his index finger to make a point. “Except, there’s a glaring hole in your little scheme. What’s stopping me taking you both and leaving before he gets here?”

“You don’t know how long it’ll be before he arrives. I’ll fight you until he does. If you let Aaron go, I’ll come with you.”

He smiled. “I’ll take my chances. No deal.” Turning to the thugs, he gestured towards me with his hand. “Get them. Get them both.”

Aaron came up behind me, pulled the knife from my hand and held it to my throat. The thin blade pressed into my skin as I swallowed.

What was he doing? He couldn’t be for real.

“Call off the dogs.” His voice vibrated through his chest as he held me tighter.

“Wait.” My father raised his palm to the side. Then stepped forward as he turned to glare at Aaron. “Really?”

“That’s close enough.” He pressed the blade harder, and the sting forced my head back.

My father narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “You won’t do it.”

“Don’t try me, Gian. What have I got to lose?”

“Her?”

“I’ve gotten all I can from her. She has no use after this.”

The knot in my stomach tightened. He couldn’t mean that. It was a bluff to buy time.

My father smiled. “That wasn’t your sentiment this morning.”

“She still had a use then. There was the chance she’d trust me enough to betray you. What d’you know, it worked. Didn’t raise a smart one here, did you?”

My father huffed. “Not when it comes to her choice in men.”

“You’ve two options. If you don’t believe I’ll do it, you can send in the guys to get us and risk her life, or you can dismiss the hounds and I’ll release her when there’s just the three of us left.”

“Leaving me wide open for your friend to arrive.” He sneered. “You conniving son of a bitch.”

Aaron laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Okay, option three. We can stand around and talk about it until he does arrive. That works for me, too. Time’s on my side, Gian, not yours.”

My father laughed. “Or… how about this for an option? Do it.”

“What?”

“Do it. Kill her.”

“You want me to kill your daughter?”

“I wouldn’t say want, but you’ll make my life a hell of a lot easier. She’s about as deceitful and loyal as her mother. So, do it.”

He held his poker face and gave Aaron no reason to doubt him. I wasn’t sure if he was serious or not, either. Nothing my father did ever surprised me, including this. I’d always known he tolerated me rather than loved me. This showed me how much.

The knife closed tighter on my neck and I winced as the skin broke. My father glanced at me then back up at Aaron. His expression never faltered.

“What are you waiting for? Can’t you do it?”

Aaron sighed, and the knife dropped from my throat. My father nodded, and I heard a whack behind me. As Aaron’s grip loosened, I stepped forward and turned as he fell. Gary had brought him to the floor and was grappling with an arm around his throat.

My head lurched back as my father yanked my hair. He leant into my ear and whispered.

“Shall we kill him now, or wait till we’ve more time?”

I shook my head. “No, don’t.”

“Even after he admitted to using you, you still don’t want him dead? Come on, is he that different from Jack?”

“Please, don’t.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I guess we should wait. We’ll have more time to make him suffer.”

He stood upright and turned to the thugs. “Everyone move out and take this cunt to Camden.”

My father dragged me out of the basement and up the metal stairs into the large room of the main building. It wasn’t in me to fight anymore. Everything felt futile no matter what I did. The only way I’d ever get away from my father is when he’s dead, or I was.

The thugs scrambled up after us carrying Aaron along with them. He tried fighting, but he must have known it was as pointless as I did. There were far too many of them, most had weapons. The guys at the door were armed with guns. He’d never get away.

My father led me to the full length roller door at the front of the building and signalled for one guy to open it.

As the whir of the motor lifted the shutter from the floor, the guys at the side shouted. “Shit. Get back.”

Thugs scattered to the walls, and the ones with guns aimed at the door. My father pulled me to the side.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

The door raised and revealed a wall of men in the yard. The vans behind them blocking the exit. Marcus stood in the centre, his arms crossed and a vicious scowl on his face.

My father yanked my hair. “Are you happy now, Olivia? You’ve got us all killed.”

Marcus’ voice echoed through the warehouse. “Gian! Be a man and show your face.”

My father cursed under his breath. Then turned to face me. “You better hope I don’t live, because if I do, you will pay for this, girl.”

He released my hair and pushed me back against the wall. Then composed himself and strode to the door, positioning himself behind the armed guys.

I made my way up the side, trying to get a fix on Aaron. They had him at the opposite end of the warehouse.

“Marcus, I wish I could say it was a pleasure to see you again.”

Marcus stepped up close to the doorway. “Likewise. Time hasn’t been kind to you, has it, old man?”

My father folded his arms. “It’s what comes with building an empire. You might learn that one day. Now, I doubt you’ve dropped by to reminisce, so get on with it. I’ve a business to run.”

“I’m here for Aaron, as you know. Hand him over and the boys and I will leave you to get on with the rest of your day,”—he smiled at him—“running your empire.”

“What makes you think he’s still alive?”

“Because I know you, Gian. You don’t like to kill them quickly. That’d be too easy.”

My father laughed. “Still hung up on that? Good to hear.”

Marcus folded his arms and shifted his weight on to his heels. “It’s not like I can forget. I’ll have my revenge for her soon, Gian, but now is not the time.”

Their argument was definitely over a woman.

“Soon? It’s only taken you twenty odd years.”

“You know what they say about revenge and dishes.”

“Cold? Yours must be fucking freezing.”

“You’ll see how cold it is when the time comes, old man.”

“So, you’re not planning on shooting me now?”

“That’d be too quick and easy, wouldn’t it?” He stepped into the doorway and my father backed up.

The thugs raised their guns as a warning.

Marcus looked at them then smiled back at my father. “I don’t want you to die like this, Gian. I want you to suffer.”

My father smiled back. “Like I made her suffer? The traitorous bitch lasted a while, didn’t she?”

Marcus closed his eyes and took a breath. “Only you could be so vicious to do all that to the woman you supposedly loved.”

The statement hit me like a punch to my guts. It froze my heart and knocked the wind from my lungs. It was my mother. Their argument was about her. Marcus must’ve been involved with her. My world narrowed to a single memory of her face. Her pretty blue eyes filled with love as she kissed me good night. That was the last time I saw her.

I refocused my attention and glared at my father. “You bastard.”

He looked over at me then back at Marcus with a scowl. “Thanks for that.”

Marcus smiled as he caught sight of me. “She didn’t know.”

“She does now.”

He did kill her, he did it. He must have tortured her to punish them both. The rage built within and crawled out through my skin. I wanted to hurt him; I wanted to make him pay.

Without realising I ran towards him. “You fucking bastard. You fucking did it.”

“Not the best time, Olivia.”

I charged at him and beat my fists into his chest, much to the amusement of Marcus. He hit me hard across the face and knocked me back to the floor.

“I don’t have time to deal with you now, girl.”

Marcus growled. “Now we know who the father of the year award goes to…”

My father glared him. “What is it with you and destroying my family?”

Picking myself from the floor, I rubbed my face and spotted the thug crouching in front. His gun pointed at Marcus. I lunged over him and pulled it from his hands. He turned in shock then raised his hands as I pointed it at him. “Back off.” He edged out of the way.

“Olivia, what are you playing at?”

I pointed it at my father. “You evil son of a bitch. I’d always suspected you hurt her, but you fucking tortured her? No wonder you never told us what happened.”

My father sighed. “Don’t do this.”

“Why not? I have no allegiance to you anymore. Let Aaron go.”

“Olivia…”

“Do it!”

My father looked over to the far corner and nodded at the thugs holding him. Aaron shrugged off their grip and walked over.

Marcus gave out a smug laugh. “Well, this is an unexpected turn in my favour. It’s got to hurt, eh Gian?”

My father glared at me. “You’ll regret this.”

I shook my head. “No, you will though.”

Aaron approached us and Marcus whistled. “Jesus, what the fuck’s he done to you?”

“Nothing that won’t heal.” He glanced at me and pointed to the exit. “Shall we get the fuck out of here now?”

I nodded and walked backwards out of the door. “Goodbye, Dad.”