Sinister

by Sherell Cummings

  She glanced up with vacant eyes. Nowadays they always seemed to be that way. “Nathaniel, your father will be pleased you could make it.”

  “Well I didn't have much of a choice did I? Since he so graciously provided the transport.”

  “You and your guest are expected in the formal dining room. If you would follow me please.” She turned on her heels expecting us to follow.

  “She's not creepy at all,” murmured Costas while we followed her toward the closed dining room doors. Sliding them open, I was surprised to find Justine and Andrea sitting facing each other at the other end of the table, with guns pointed at the back of their heads. This was very new.

  I walked in, finding Justine's lowered eyebrows and uncertain gaze, which meant she had no clue as to what was going on. Andrea held a grim expression with his lips compressed and hands clasped together on the table. I was told to sit next to Justine, while Costas sat two spaces down from Andrea on the other side. Our own guards appeared a moment later, assuming the position behind us, with guns aimed at our heads like the others.

  “What is this?” I asked, turning my gaze to Justine.

  She shrugged eyebrows cringing together. “I don't know. All I was told was to prepare for a dinner party which I assumed would be like the others. I worked on the menu, got a good catering company, and asked for a guest list. Nicholae said he would handle the guest list. And then tonight I was presented with a new dress and told to wait here. The next thing I know, there's a gun pointed at my head.” It was clear we weren't the only invited guests, with the way the seats were arranged, and there were three more place settings. She leaned in a little closer and whispered. “Where have you been?”

  “Working on something.”

  “And Izabella?”

  “Far far away from here.” I hoped Nathan lived up to his promise and had done what I had asked. Since I couldn't reach any of them I was assuming they were asleep. I had no idea what I was up against or what we were all about to face once my father arrived. With the guns pointed to our heads I could only assume that this was an execution, but I knew my father, he was trickier than that, and would play his little games until he got bored before pulling any triggers. I just had to make sure the game lasted long enough for all of us to make it out alive.

  All heads turned toward the door as it slid open again, and Willow stepped inside. I guess the other guests had arrived and it would seem, they weren't too happy about it either.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Izabella

  It was night fall by the time we pulled up to the house. I had hoped to never see this place again, but what I’d come to realize about my life was that I almost always never got what I wanted. As the car slowed my eyes drifted up to the large stone structure, which caused my heart to triple its rhythm. The house itself was beautiful but knowing what waited inside made it as ugly as the crack houses back in Brookdale.

  Shoved from the car, little droplets of rain fell against my face while I stumbled, and like the first day I had arrived over two weeks ago the only thing that was different was the fact that I could see. Nathan was next to me shrugging his shoulder away from the man trying to hold him down. The grim expression on his face only worsened when we're shoved to move forward toward the house. Frowning at him I tried to understand what he could be feeling right now, being treated like a slave by his own father. It was probably the same pain and pure hatred I felt as I watched my brother let me be taken by Fareed’s men. Family was supposed to be everything, but in the blink of an eye it quickly because nothing for the both of us, and now he wanted his father dead as much as I wanted my brother to suffer for what he’d done.

  Once through the front door I glanced around the room looking for any indication of people or decorations, but there were none. The last party I’d been to here, although I was blindfolded on the way in, on the way out I noticed how heavily decorated the entryway was. There was nothing to indicate that anything was happening here.

  We were instantly greeted by two other men, each holding what I noted to be a tux, dress and a pair of shoe boxes. Willow stood between the two with her eyes to the floor and hands clamped tightly in front of her apron, while the men who escorted us in, left. As the door shut Willow said, “Master Nicolae has requested you wear these for dinner tonight.”

  “Willow, what’s going on? Where is my father? I demand to see him now,” demanded Nathan stepping forward, but was instantly signalled to stay where he was, by the raised hand of the man holding his tux. “This is fucking bullshit, where is he?” he said sharply snatching Willow’s arm, but quickly had to release her when a gun was pointed toward his head. I gasped taking a step back but froze as one was pointed at my head as well. I suddenly got the feeling that dinner wasn’t the only thing on the agenda tonight.

  “Please, Nathan just get dressed,” she pleaded, blinking away the pained expression on her face before her head returned to the floor.

  “Get dressed,” repeated the man holding the gun to my face while stretching his arm out with the dress. “Now,” he barked. They were expecting us to get dressed right there in front of them and with guns pointed to our heads. As if being in this house wasn't hard enough.

  With shaky hands I tore the shirt over my head exposing the black bra to everyone in the room. The man who was holding the gun to me, his eyes instantly fell on my mounds as Willow’s remained on the ground. I turned to Nathan who hadn’t moved but was still glaring at the man holding the gun to his chest. I had no doubt the guard was told to shoot if we didn’t follow instructions, but Nathan being who he was didn’t understand how to take orders. Where I was trained to heel at the point of a gun, he was usually the one pointing that gun. And as much as I hated Nathan I didn’t want to watch him die here and now. He stood tall ready to pounce the moment the guard looked away, but he wasn’t given the opportunity, and I was forced to nudge him with my elbow to his side forcing his eyes to me.

  With a pleading glare that I hoped he understood I continued removing the rest of my clothes before quickly turning away. With my jeans unbuttoned and sliding down my legs I released a soft breath when Nathan finally began removing his clothes. He tore each piece off without a care, not even wincing by the bullet hole in his arm. When he was down to his briefs I quickly looked away and focused on removing my jeans and ballet flats before snatching the dress out of the man's hands.

  I had no clue what was about the happen and it would seem neither did Nathan. We were both being subjected to Nicolae’s control and as it would seem, so was Nathaniel. He was somewhere in this house and my heart tugged to go off and find him, but I knew with one move the big brute in front of me would rip my flesh open with a bullet.

  This house sent the creeps up my spine and as I dressed in the sleek black cocktail dress that feeling only worsened. Without the sight of a single soul and the silent nature of the house, and not to mention the guns pointed at the both of us, I knew that this was either one of two things. Maybe this was a nice quiet dinner where we’d eat and be subjected to Nicolae’s cruelty for three hours, or this was going to be our final meal. I viewed Nicolae as a tactical man, and if he wanted us all here there was a good reason. Had he known about the plan and we were about to feel the consequences of our actions?

  “Follow me.” The command had my thoughts fading as Willow led and I was pushed forward by a hand on my back. We walked through the entryway and every question I'd had been answered the moment we stepped into the dinning room. Nathaniel tried to stand the moment his eyes found mine, but the gun attached to the back of his head had him frozen. I stepped forward wanting to reach him, but a hand on my arm paused my movements before my head snapped toward Nathan. Sneering and grinding his teeth he shook his head and I snatched my arm away before looking back at Nathaniel. He nodded once as an indication for me to listen to Nathan, and with a sigh I calmed standing still.

  My eyes scanned the rest of the table that was beautifully decorated and covered in fine
silverware and crystal. Everything was elegantly done, everyone dressed in tuxes and cocktail dress, as if it was a real dinner party. Justine sat facing another man both in the same position as Nathaniel with guns against their heads. Costas, who seemed the most comfortable, smirked at me right before we were ushered toward our assigned seats.

  The chairs were already out and I was forced toward the chair facing Nathaniel. The moment I sat down his eyes locked on mine. “Are you hurt?” he asked concerned moving his hand across the table to take mine.

  His warm fingers caressed my knuckles as I smiled sadly. “Better now—You?” I needed to know he was fine. That whatever he had been up to in the last few hours hadn’t harmed him in any way.

  “I’d be a lot better if you weren’t here.”

  “You can thank your brother for that.” I glanced at Nathan who sat next to his brother with a scowl on his face. “What were you thinking sending Nathan to look after me?”

  “I was thinking I could count on him to keep you safe.” He turned to his brother with narrowed eyes. “What the fuck happened?”

  Nathan shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. “Hey I tried, but when she decided to run off with her ex-boyfriend, who shot me by the way, that pretty much went out the window.”

  Nathan arched his brow at me as Nathaniel gazed at me with his eyebrow raised and a hard look on his face. “Ex-boyfriend?”

  I sneered at Nathan. “He’s the one who invited him.”

  Costas chucked. “You people are funny,” he said in his think accent.

  “And you are?” Nathan asked to him. Costas sat in the chair next to the empty one opposite Nathan. That was weird. Everyone seemed to be paired except Nathan and Costas. Justine sat facing the unknown stranger who also happened to be sitting next to me. I faced Nathaniel who sat between Justine and Nathan. Were we waiting for more guests?

  “I’m positive by the end of the night—” he shrugged looking around at the men holding the guns. “Well if we don’t all die first. You’re going to know who I am.”

  Nathan lifted his brow at his brother.

  “What is going on?” I interjected gazing at the both of them. “Where is your father?”

  “Yeah where is Daddy Dearest?” Nathan scowl. “And why all the weapons?”

  “I don’t know. I got here about an hour ago and he hasn’t shown his face yet.”

  “It’s because he knows,” said Justine who looked at each of us. “He knows about everything. This son of a bitch is going to kill us.”

  “Well that’s not a first. He’s been wanting to kill Nathaniel and I probably since the day we were born,” said Nathan fingering the table cloth while playing with his fork. “You however. Why would he want to kill you?” His accusatory eyes met hers as did mine.

  She shrugged with shifty eyes glancing at the man facing her. “Who knows. He probably wants to get rid of me, to make room for new pussy.” She looked at Nathan. “You know your father. He doesn’t need a reason.”

  “But yet you knew all this about him and you still stayed,” I said, glaring at her leaning forward. She wasn’t a slave, she had the option to leave, hell she had the option to not get involved with him in the first place, but she still stayed. Maybe I was still pissed about her little speech back at Nathaniel’s, but she needed to know just how stupid she was for even thinking a man like that would ever change. “What was it about him that was so charming, huh? Was it the house, the cars, the chance to throw your mile high attitude at the slaves?”

  She slammed her fist against the table rattling the crystal. “Shut the fuck up, you know nothing about me,” she sneered.

  “I know enough—”

  “Izzy.” I cut my gaze to Nathaniel’s annoyed eyes. “Stop it.”

  “Listen to your master, Izzy,” Justine smirked.

  “Fuck you.”

  “Izzy I said stop. Justine has done nothing—”

  “And that’s just it. She’s done absolutely nothing but enable the sick bastard and now she wants to cry about it when she’s in the hot seat? And you want to defend her?”

  “I’m not defending anything. We are all in the same fucking boat here, so it’s better if we stick together, rather than fight each other.”

  I huffed before my eyes followed everyone else's to the sound of clapping that followed Nicholae as he entered the room. He stood at the entrance on the other end of the table, with broad grin while assessing each and every one of us before carelessly walking forward. “I'm glad everyone was able to make it on such short notice.”

  “Like we fucking had a choice,” said Nathaniel narrowing his eyes at him. “What's with the extra steel in the room? Don't tell me you don't trust your own sons? Afraid someone might try to kill you?”

  “Please, Nathaniel paranoia is a serious thing with old age. Isn't dad?” Nathan smirked.

  “Nicholae what's going on, why are we all here?” asked Justine.

  He approached taking the seat at the head of the table. While unfolding his napkin he glanced at everyone and said, “How are you all liking the seating arrangements?”

  “I'm a little disappointed,” said Nathan with a scowl on his face. “Seems my date is delayed.” I along with everyone else glanced at the empty chair facing Nathan. I figured everyone was already at the table, but it would seem only Nathan and his father knew who that empty seat belonged to.

  “As it would seem—”

  “Cut the shit, okay. Where is she?” Nathan placed his hands on the table leaning forward to peer down at his father who held his gaze with nothing but a blink and a slight tilt of his head.

  “You have to be more specific, son.”

  Nathan's fists slammed against the table as he stood. The man pointing the gun behind him followed his movements with the gun still aimed at the back of his head. “Look I'm done with this fucking game—where is Jovana?” My eyebrows raised, curious to know who he was talking about.

  They had a stare-off. Nathan's nostrils flared and there was a vain pulsating in his temple, whereas Nicholae remained calm. This was his show after all. “You mean that woman you were instructed to kill. The one you lied to me for and kept alive?”

  “Where the fuck is she?” he yelled, this time the doors opened and in walked two guards. And with them was the mangled body of a red-headed woman.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Nathan

  “Sit down son—unless you would like to decorate everyone with your blood.” The cold steel against my head was the last thing I was thinking about as Jovana was dragged into the room bloody and beaten. She could barely walk, the thin strap on her shoulder was stretched out and hanging, purple bruises in the form of a handprint marred the skin over her breasts, and her eyes were bloodshot and swollen to the point were she could barely see.

  “You fucking son of bitch.” I was about to tear this place apart, but this time instead of the gun keeping me hostage, it was my brother's hand on my arm pulling me to sit. “What the fuck did you do to her?” I sneered at him before flicking my gaze down to Jovana. “What did he do to you?”

  She remained silent with a wan look on her face while her eyes struggled to stay open. My head started to fill with rage while I gripped the tablecloth, eyeing the smug smirk on my father's face.

  “Now Nathan you do know that she was mine before you decided to make her yours.”

  “What the fuck does that mean? You wanted her dead.”

  “Exactly. I wanted her dead. She was supposed to be dead and you had assured me that she was. Now imagine my surprise when a corpse walked out of your hotel room that night.” He leaned forward placing his hands together on the table. “My son. The only son I thought I could count on, betrays me. I expected something like this from your brother, but you.” He tisked leaning back and shaking his head.

  “Yeah well I guess we all disappoint each other don’t we? You’re not looking so hot in the father department these days.”

  He laughed heartily.
/>   “Why are we here, Nicolae?” asked Nathaniel who watched him closely.

  Dad grinned at him with one brow raised. “So now I’m Nicolae.”

  “Don’t fool yourself old man. You never wanted to be a father and we were never your sons, so cut the fucking bullshit and tell us why we're here,” said Nathaniel slamming his fist slapping against the table with so much force all the glasses in front of him rattled.

  The smile slipped from our father's face and his eyes narrowed in on Nathaniel. “You know why you were always my least favorite, Nathaniel?”

  “I’m sure you’ll enlighten me.”

  “You were always too hard to manipulate,” he said with dead set eyes before looking at each and every one at the table, snapping on that malicious smile he wore like an armour. “You all know why you’re here.” Then our eyes cut to the doorway as Willow and three other servants entered with plates of food. One by one were given plates of salmon and asparagus, and as soon as the wine glasses were filled, the servants exited quickly closing the sliding door. “You’re here to eat dinner. Isn’t that what I said when I invited you?”

  “I wasn’t invited,” said Izabella with a tight-lipped smile toward our father. I was surprised she had spoken up, and so was my brother who eyed her with his brow raised. “Last time I remember, I was a slave.” I had to admit, this girl was either stupid, or had some of the biggest balls I’d ever seen on a woman.