The van doors opened and the influx of light hurt my eyes. I tried to shield them with my bound hands, but the thug wouldn’t allow any give on the rope.

“Don’t even think about trying to run,” he hissed.

Squinting, I glared at him. “Cut me some slack, literally, numb-nuts. It’s fucking bright, unlike you.”

Two brutes stepped up into the van, and it rocked on its wheels with the weight. The thug passed my rope to one, and the other did the same with Alice’s. She flinched when he went near her.

“Still exciting?” As soon as the words left my lips, I felt guilty.

She darted her eyes towards me and shook her head.

I shouldn’t take my frustration out on her. This was all my fault. I brought her into this fucked up situation, and she had every right to be terrified. “Relax. They’re not going to do anything to us.”

One of them smiled. “Not yet.” He yanked my rope and pulled me towards the doors. “Come on. Daddy’s waiting.”

My eyes adjusted to the late afternoon sun as I stepped out, but seeing the gravel drive and cast iron gates, I recognised where we were. I looked across to the imposing house with its dark, lifeless windows, and dread crawled over my skin.

“Where are we?” Alice whispered in a weak, shaky voice.

“My father’s house.”

“You live here?”

“No. My father and sister do. I live with you.”

We were led across the drive and up the marble steps. The heavy front door opened as we approached, and another thug stepped aside to let us in. My father wasn’t taking any chances this time. The place was swarming with his men. A quick kick to the nuts would not get me out of this one.

The door slammed behind us and made me tense. It wasn’t the noise that caused it, but more the feel of the lid closing on my coffin. A part of me realised I may never leave this house again.

“Welcome home, Olivia.” His voice was flat and cold.

My eyes traced to the top of the stairs and met with my father’s piercing gaze. The anger radiated from it, reaching me from twelve metres away. “I see you’ve laid out the welcoming committee.”

“Did you expect anything less?”

He unfolded his arms and descended the staircase. Every step purposeful. His controlled movement menacing. The cold stare fixed intently on mine as he approached. He stopped before me and narrowed his eyes as he shook his head.

“You’re not getting away this time, Olivia.”

I’d seen my father angry plenty of times before, but never like this. I swallowed and matched his glare. “It doesn’t fucking look…”

He slapped me hard across the face. The pain exploded behind my eyes and clouded my vision. I recoiled away, but the thug behind me grabbed my hair and pulled me up straight to face my father. The tears stung my eyes as I opened them.

“And don’t even start with that mouth of yours.” He held his stare for a moment longer, then turned to walk down the hall. “Bring them through.”

The thug pushed me forward, and I staggered ahead, following my father down the hallway to the back of the house. I glanced a look at Alice. Her face was deathly white, and her eyes were wide with fear. “I’m sorry I got you involved with this.”

She looked at me and frowned. “What’s he going to do to you?”

“Nothing good.”

My father opened the doors to his office and stood watching as we were brought down and marched in. I could feel his glare on me, but I kept my focus ahead.

He shut the door after us and made his way over to the large mahogany desk that sat in front of the patio windows. He grabbed the crystal decanter from the side and poured himself a drink into a used glass. There were papers strewn across his usually tidy desk, and ring marks from the glass spotted all over them. By the look of it, he’d been in here all night, working and drinking.

That didn’t bode well for his state of mind.

He knocked back the glass and refilled it. Then replaced the stopper on the decanter and turned to face us. His stare made me uneasy.

“Twenty-eight years I’ve cared for you, girl. Raised you. Sent you to the best schools. Gave you a job. Paid you well. And all you’ve ever given me is shit.”

I opened my mouth to question his parenting skills, and he shot me a venomous look. I thought better of it and kept quiet. Now wasn’t the time to antagonise him.

He shook his head. “From the day you were born, you’ve caused nothing but trouble.” He huffed. “I don’t know why I’ve put up with it for so long.”

Swirling the drink in the glass, he stared at it as the brown liquid flicked up the sides.

“No more.”

He knocked it back and slammed the glass on his desk. Then dived towards us. I instinctively stepped back and was stopped by the wall of thug behind. But my father didn’t come for me. Alice screamed as he grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to the centre of the room.

“No!” The panic set my body alight, and I surged to get to her. The thug behind me dragged me back and held me by my arms. “Please, no! Let her go.” I fought against him, but his grip was too tight.

My father pulled a flick knife from his pocket. Terror gripped her as she stood there frozen. Her eyes locked on me.

“No, please don’t do it. Please don’t,” I cried at him. “She’s innocent. She’s nothing to do with this!”

My father was calm as he released the blade and pressed it against her neck. Alice flinched as the knife pressed into her skin but then held rigid against him.

“Please, don’t. I’m begging you. Don’t do it!” Tears rolled down my cheeks as I sobbed and pleaded with him.

My father glared at me. “Olivia, shut up!”

I stopped my cries, but couldn’t help myself sobbing and weakly trying to pull away from the thug that held me. Alice was the ray of light in my darkness, and her innocence didn’t deserve to be put out like this.

“I’ve given you all the chances in the world, Olivia. I’ve tried to be fair with you, but you just keep taking the piss. Now, you’ve crossed the line. Maybe I need to stop being fair with you. Maybe I need to show you what will happen when you cross me.”

“No. No. No. I’m sorry. I really am. Please. Please, don’t do this.”

His knuckles whitened as he gripped the knife harder. “Shut the fuck up!”

His shout caused both Alice and I to shake.

“I told you you’d regret it, Olivia. You didn’t believe me. You thought you were invincible. It’s up to me to show you you’re not. I’m going to make sure you show me some respect, girl.”

“I do. Please, don’t do this.” My pleading had become a whimper. My legs were soft underneath me. If the thug hadn’t held me up, I’d have sunk to the floor.

He pressed the knife firmer into her skin. “You need to learn your lesson, Olivia. We’ll start with this one, and then I’ll take out the rest from your life.”

There was a knock at the office door and my heart jumped through my chest.

My father growled. “What?”

The door opened, and I heard a thug’s voice behind me. “He’s here.”

My father growled at the intrusion. “Alright. Send him in.”

The door closed and my father dropped the knife from Alice’s throat. Then pushed her towards me. The thug released my arms, and I dived for her, putting my bound arms over her head and pulling her as close as I could. We both collapsed, huddled on the floor together. I nuzzled my face into her shoulder and cried. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t think you’ve gotten away with this just yet, girl.”

I ignored his comment and held on to my best friend. The thought of losing her had broken me. It hurt more than anything I’d felt before. I couldn’t let my father do this. It had to end now, one way or another.

The door opened, and I heard footsteps enter. My sobs quietened as I focused on the sounds of the room. The crystal of the decanter clinked as my father filled his glass again. I heard the shuffle as he turned. Then the room dropped into a pregnant silence. Something was up, and I knew I wasn’t going to like it.

My father broke the still. “How long have you been working with Marcus?”

My stomach lurched, and I shot my head up to see who it was. I almost threw up when I saw him.

“I haven’t been working with him.” His voice was wavering. “Marcus just came to see me today.”

“Don’t lie, Wallis. You know I don’t like liars.”

Wallis’ wide eyes glanced at me then back up to my father. He was trying to stay composed, but I could tell he was scared.

“I haven’t been working with him, honest. Like I said on the phone, he came to see me at the club out of the blue. I called you right after. I wouldn’t work with that arsehole.”

My father sighed. “Don’t bullshit me, Wallis. I know you’ve been working with him.”

“I wouldn’t dare do that. You and I go well back. Come on, we play cards every week.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re not a traitorous son of a bitch.”

“Gian, I’m on the level. You know me.”

My father huffed. “Yeah, I do. That’s the problem. I know him, too. Marcus wouldn’t just turn up at your place without a prior connection. He’s a cunt, but he’s not stupid. He’d have to know you’d be willing to turn on me.”

“No. No. I’d never cross you.” There was panic in Wallis’ voice. “That’s why I rang you.”

My father swilled the drink in his glass. “How did he even know about the poker game?”

Wallis glanced at me then back up at my father. “I don’t know.”

“Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.” He pointed over to me. “Was she there?”

His eyes darted down again, and I widened mine at him, shaking my head with a tiny movement. No doubt my father still saw it.

“No, I haven’t seen her in years. I swear.”

“Don’t protect her. She’s in enough shit as it is. Don’t make me punish her for you, too. Who was there?”

His eyes searched the floor. “Just Marcus, that friend of his, Aaron… and…”

My heart pounded as I realised what he was going to do. “No! Don’t Wallis.”

My father stepped forward. “And… who?”

I shouted. “Don’t. It won’t protect me.”

Wallis looked between us. He wanted to take the heat off me, but it wouldn’t help.

My father stood in front of him and growled. “Who?”

“No,” I yelled.

Wallis sighed. “Milena.”

I closed my eyes against the flood of guilt which drenched my chest. He’d just condemned my sister to death, and I was responsible for it.

“What?” My father’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“Milena was with them. She’s been working with Marcus.”

A heavy silence blanketed the room. I opened my eyes to see my father walking back over to his desk. He put his hands on the top and rested his weight against it. His head low.

I glanced back at Wallis and shook my head. The pain must have been clear across my face. I could see the torment across his. He mouthed I’m sorry and averted his gaze. His eyes searching within instead.

My father folded his arms and turned to face us. He looked at the thug stood behind Wallis and nodded. “Take him out.”

Wallis’ jaw dropped. His eyes pleading. “Gian!”

The thug moved quickly behind him, putting the plastic bag over his head and pulling it tight in one swift movement.

“No!” I pulled away from my hold on Alice as she scuttled back and screamed. I tried to reach him, but the thug holding me put his weight onto my shoulders and forced me back. As much as I cried and fought, I could only watch in horror as my friend was taken away from me.

Wallis grappled with the thugs hands trying desperately to release them. The bag pulled in and out of his wide mouth as he gasped for air. His huge weight thrashed against his killer’s as he struggled in vain.

Time slowed. I watched helplessly as Wallis’ fingers clawed against the plastic. Every ripple and fold seemed to move like water. The colour of his skin darkened beneath the waves. The eyes that were wide and panicked closed as the life faded away from behind them.

My stomach churned, and my head fell forward as my mind clouded. The weight on my shoulders held me upright as my body swayed and gave in. I was lost in a haze and hardly registered the heavy weight that dropped and shook the floor.

A hand lifted my chin. I opened my eyes to see my father’s piercing gaze staring down at me. The brandy was heavy on his breath as he searched my face. There was anger written in the creases of his, sure, but there was something more. There was pain hidden behind his cold, grey eyes.

He sighed. “Looks like you’re not alone in wanting me gone.”

I tried to turn away from him.

He gripped my jaw and pulled me back to face him. “Is it true?”

I matched his glare, but said nothing.

His grip tightened. “Olivia, I’ll find out, anyway. Don’t make it worse for yourself. Is it true?”

I closed my eyes and drew a breath. “Yes.”

He laughed and pushed my head to the side as he let me go.

“You, I expected. You’ve always had your mother’s fight.”

He got to his feet and walked back over to the desk.

“But fucking Milena!”

His temper erupted. He kicked at his desk repeatedly and growled as he shouted.

“Fucking spiteful bitch.”

Alice crawled over in a panic. I leant in and comforted her the best I could while my father threw his rage about the room. Staying quiet so as not to attract his wrath our way. There wouldn’t be any stopping him if he turned on us now.

“The entitled, spoilt fucking brat! As if she hadn’t already learnt her fucking lesson!”

He growled again then gripped his hands back on the desk as he tried to collect himself. He took a few breaths then stood and pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled. I knew who he was calling.

“Where are you?” He walked over to the decanter and poured another glass. “I need you at home. Get here now.” He picked up the glass, but paused before he took a drink. “Just fucking get here now.”

He hung up and threw the phone on the desk. Then turned back into the room and sat on the edge.

“And why is this cunt still in my office?” He gestured to where Wallis was laid with his glass. “Get rid of him.”

I didn’t want to look at his body. I’d gone numb after watching him die, and I was afraid seeing his corpse would bring it all back. Make it real. I turned and huddled into Alice as more thugs came in to shift him. I could hear the grunts and groans as they dragged his dead weight. The sound of plastic rustled, and a shudder crept down my spine.

“What’s the matter, Olivia? Don’t you like facing the consequences of your actions?”

I ignored him and stayed close to Alice.

“You’ll have to soon. We’ll wait for your bitch of a sister to get here, and then we’ll go pay a visit to Marcus and your boyfriend.”

I looked up and stared at him as dread raised the hairs on my arms. “What?”

He laughed. “That got your attention.”

“Are you going after Marcus?”

“No need. I’ve already got them. They’re in the warehouse right now.”

I felt like I was dropping into a dark pit. “How?”

His smile widened. “They were waiting outside your apartment.”

I closed my eyes as my head spun. I tried to catch my breath as a suffocating shroud of despair and guilt enveloped and crushed me.

It was my fault. Everything. It was all my fault. I’d put Alice’s life in danger. My father now knew about Milena because I brought Wallis here, and his death was on my hands, too. Soon, I’d have to add Marcus and Aaron to that list.

I was sinking under the enormous weight of what I’d done, and if I didn’t do something about it soon, I’d drown.