by Fawn Bailey
And surely, she would never, ever pick Ryker as the man she wanted to be with.
Not even after everything I'd put her though.
Would she?
Chapter Nine
Ryker
I was to take Ophelia with me that day.
Kain sent somebody off to pack up her stuff, and I waited in the hallway while he made some other arrangements. A girl came up to me, looking barely legal and particularly sinful in a prim and proper little floral dress.
“Ginger, right?” I asked her, and she smiled sweetly, nodding at my question. “Do you speak?”
“I do,” she said with a cute smile. “I just didn’t know whether I was allowed.”
My skin prickled at her submissiveness, but a moment later we were interrupted by Kain again.
“Everything’s been arranged,” he said with a heavy voice. “You can leave when you are ready.”
I nodded and glanced at Ginger, motioning to her with my head.
“So she’s coming too, huh?” I wondered out loud.
If Kain’s stare could have killed me, I’d be a dead man.
“Don’t even think about it,” he growled at me. “She’s off fucking limits.”
I shrugged and grinned before following him down the hallway. In my eyes, I saw his inability to take care of Ophelia properly as his own failure, and my victory. I was leaving with the girl, and at least until she got better, Ophelia belonged to me.
Ophelia was waiting outside, wearing a simple white dress that looked beautiful against her pale skin and dark hair. I drank her in with my eyes, getting my fill of the Russian beauty and wondering whether we'd ever be able to rebuild what we had before Kain forced his way into our lives.
"You will not let anything happen to her," Kain growled at me. "You will take care of her, and you won't so much as harm a hair on her head. I want her back, Ryker. And I want her back in one fucking piece."
"What makes you think I'm giving her back?" I smirked at him.
In seconds, he was standing in front of me, his fingers digging into my forearm as he slammed me against the house. I was stronger than him, but his reaction took me by surprise, and I stared into his enraged eyes as he warned me to stop with his.
"She's mine," Kain ground out through gritted teeth. "I hear you did one thing wrong... one thing we didn't agree on, I'm going to take her back, and I'm going to fucking destroy you."
I shoved him away.
"Just like you destroyed her?" I snarled at him, motioning toward Ophelia who was standing on the driveway looking pale and lifeless. "One life wasn't enough for you, Kain? You've fucked her up so much. Just fucking look at her. She's ruined. Fuck knows if she's ever going to come back from this. And it's all your. Fucking. Fault!"
I jammed my finger into his chest, and he paled as the words spilled from my mouth.
"You're pathetic," I told him. "You just couldn't help yourself. You had to take the only thing I cared about, didn't you?"
He laughed bitterly, his eyes blazing with silent fire.
"Not everything is about you, brother dearest," he told me.
"Don't you dare call me that."
I slammed him back, and he stumbled.
"I had a brother," I told him viciously. "And he's dead because of you."
"That's where you're wrong," he told me, shaking his head and running his fingers through his messy hair. "He's dead because of our father. And we have a common enemy, Ryker. If only you weren't too fucking stubborn to realize that."
He took a step forward, suddenly all up in my face as he glared at me.
"And don't you ever attempt to attack me again," he snarled. "Because I will fucking destroy you, and everything you love."
Something about his stance was intimidating, but I couldn't help myself - I was a fucking jerk at heart, and I wanted him to suffer for what he'd done.
"You've already started on that," I told him. "Ophelia's gone, isn't she?"
Our eyes went to the girl standing next to Ginger. She looked so fucking defeated as if she was held up by nothing but strings in someone else's hands. She was a lifelike doll now, nothing more. And it was all Kain's fault. I would never forgive him for what he did to the love of my life.
I didn't have another word to say to Kain, so I walked away from him, my eyes on Ginger and Ophelia as I approached them.
"You ladies ready to leave?" I asked them.
As expected, there was no reply from Ophelia, though Ginger turned her eyes to mine, staring me down. I was mesmerized for a second, almost getting lost in her colorful irises. A moment later I snapped out of it and ushered them into the car. I didn't pay any mind to Kain, didn't give a shit that he didn't get to have his final goodbye. He didn't fucking deserve one.
"Let's go," I barked at the driver once we were all in the car, and the man pulled out of Kain's driveway just as Ophelia turned around to stare out of the back window.
It was the most I'd seen her do by herself, and jealousy bubbled in the pit of my stomach as I watched her gazing at Kain through the window. She didn't turn around for the rest of our journey, even though it took hours. Her eyes were fixated on the long-gone figure of her former lover, and it twisted my gut to know she still cared for him after everything he'd done to her.
I stewed in my jealousy for the whole ride home and felt a pair of curious eyes on me throughout the journey.
Ginger, the girl who'd been assigned to take care of Ophelia, couldn't get enough of me. And every time I glanced away, her cheeks flushed, and she looked away, obviously feeling guilty for staring at me.
We arrived a couple of hours later. My place looked magnificent as we slowly pulled up in the driveway, and I couldn't hide my pride from the girls. The driver parked in front of the entrance and the three of us got outside, with Ophelia never looking at me once.
"The staff will show you to your rooms," I said dismissively, too pissed off with her actions to do it myself. "I have some work to do. I will see you at dinner."
"Yes, Mr. Marino," Ginger chirped, and I grinned at her before giving Ophelia one last fleeting look and heading toward my office.
My desk was laden with papers and I groaned at the sight of them. I wasn't joking - there was working to be done.
Since my brother had died, my battle against our father had only gotten worse and worse. I knew I had to take him down. I'd known it from the moment I found out he was behind the Sokolov murders. I spent years trying to hide the truth, knowing that it would only mean trouble for my family if I poked the hornet's nest. But now my brother was gone, and my mother was practically catatonic. My father needed a wake-up call. A part of me was convinced his wrongdoings wouldn't stop until he was dead. And an even more bitter part of me realized that he might have to die at my hand.
I would be freeing the world of his evil, I told myself. But it didn't change the fact that I'd have to kill my father. My own flesh and blood.
Busying myself with the paperwork, I lost track of time, only realizing how late it was when a maid shyly knocked on my office door, telling me dinner was ready.
Walking into the large, lavish dining room, I was surprised to find both of my new housemates sitting at the table.
Ginger raised her eyes expectantly when I walked in, while Ophelia's eyes remained on her empty plate. It pissed me off. What that man had done to her. I should've killed him on the spot. I would have if I wasn't certain that it would only make things harder for the woman I loved.
I sat down without saying a word and motioned for the staff to start bringing out the food.
The table filled up with plates upon plates of delicious specialties prepared just for Ophelia. I still remembered her favorite dishes, and I'd instructed the kitchen to prepare some classic Russian meals for her. But there was no reaction whatsoever to the beautifully presented food adorning the dining room table. Nothing.
"This is amazing, Mr. Marino," Ginger said, and I gave her a blank stare. "Thank you so much for lettin
g us enjoy such a beautiful meal in your-"
"Shut that pretty little mouth," I told her with a groan, but if she was taken aback by my tone or words, she didn't show it. "Just eat your food and tell me what the two of you did today. Any improvement?"
She glanced at Ophelia which made me sigh in frustration.
"Just tell me, little girl," I told her darkly. "Ophelia doesn't seem to care about anything we say, anyway. Do you, Ophelia?"
My woman kept staring at her plate, not acknowledging my words apart from the blush that crept down her neck and over her pretty tits. Too bad most of her sexy body was covered up.
"See," I smirked at Ginger. "She doesn't give a shit. So, tell me."
"N-Nothing," she muttered. "Your house is very beautiful. We're lucky to be here. I showed Ophelia to her room and spent a couple of hours sorting through her things."
"Any words?" I asked, and she shook her head regretfully just as I expected. "Right. Of course."
Suddenly having lost my appetite, I pushed my plate away and got up from the table while Ginger stared at me with that lovesick puppy look in her eyes.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I muttered before leaving the dining room.
I stormed around the gardens, trying hard to clear my head but coming up empty.
By the time I'd calmed down, it was bedtime. I'd changed into my boxers and was about to climb into bed when there was a timid knock on the door, the little voice calling out my name obviously belonging to Ginger.
"Mr. Marino, please," she begged on the other side of the door. "It's about Ophelia."
I opened the door, staring her down so hard she involuntarily took a step back. It took me a moment to realize what she was wearing - a white nightie that was delightfully see through and made my head spin with inappropriate thoughts. I had to remind myself I wasn't supposed to touch her sweet, innocent little body. I'd made a promise.
"What's going on?" I asked roughly, and she flushed, motioning down the hallway.
"She won't sleep in her cage," she admitted. "And she won't sleep in the bed, either."
My eyes widened.
Was I foolish in thinking this might be a sign of improvement?
Possibly, but I couldn't help the spark of hope it ignited in my chest.
I followed Ginger to Ophelia's room, where my woman was sitting stark fucking naked on the floor, hugging her knees and sobbing so softly I could barely hear it. And my fucking heart broke at the sight of her. My strong-willed, brave girl, ruined by a man who'd taken everything away from her. I wanted to kill Kain, and I wanted to kill my father for what they'd done to her.
"I'll handle it from here," I told Ginger, and she hesitated in the doorway, making me turn to her. "Did I not make myself clear?"
"I'm just, I just... I'm worried-" she started, but the intensity of my glare cut her off and she shifted on her feet, giving me a small nod. "Okay, Mr. Marino. I will see you in the morning."
She retreated from the room, leaving me alone with the crumpled body on the floor. I didn't wait for a second, merely gathered Ophelia in my hands and carried her from her room into my own bedroom. She didn't resist, just lay across my shoulders unmoving, as if she'd accepted her fate, whatever it fucking was.
I put her down on my bed, and the second she was free to do so, she crawled away, leaving me glaring after her.
"Come here, Ophelia," I said gently. "Come on, you can sleep with me."
She stared at me blankly, not giving a response.
I sighed and climbed into bed myself. Suddenly, I was exhausted from the day we'd had. It was all too much, and her constant silence wasn't helping matters much.
Which is why I was shocked to find her climbing on the bed a few minutes later, when I was already starting to doze off. She didn't come and lay by me. Instead, she found her place at the foot of the bed, closing her eyes tightly and crawling into a little ball at my feet.
She didn't wake me up once.
Chapter Ten
Kain
Without Ophelia, I was a shell of my usual self, and it took me days to figure out she was the missing piece to my happiness. I was irritable and upset without her, and I took it out on everyone around me. But there was nothing I could do to make things easier. She was where she needed to be, in a place that was safer for her than my arms. Maybe that was what I hated the most.
I tried not to dwell on it and busied myself with everything else I had to do. There was another victim on my list that I was going to dispose of, and my mind bristled at the possibilities of hurting the man who had hurt me.
He lived overseas, and he was a sick man with a penchant for young women whom he liked to hurt in various ways. I'd heard he had acquired a new pet recently, and I knew she was in for a world of trouble unless I managed to get to him first. The way the man operated was - he played the nice guy in the beginning, convincing his victims to trust him, to fall prey for his charms. Then, when they were fully under his spell, his dark side came out to play, and it was dark indeed.
I'd come into contact with Van Acker during my time in Europe. I met him as a potential business associate and was even foolish enough to believe him when he fed me his bullshit and lies. But all it took was a little digging to find out just how fucked up the man really was. And I was ready to take him out.
I knew Van Acker would be in town visiting a certain Rueben Thorn. From what I understood, the two had a business alliance which made me wonder whether Thorn even knew about the horrific things the man had done. I also knew Thorn was the one who had gotten the man his newest pet, and it made me lose respect for him. How could he condemn any girl to that fate, knowing what the man was capable of? It was a mystery to me.
I planned my assault to the T, going over the plans with my right hand man Jasper until we had everything nailed down. Van Acker and his girl would be at a casino event that night, and we were going to bust him there.
I put on my best tux that night, staring at my own reflection in the mirror. I missed Ophelia with a painful longing, wishing she was by my side with every step I took, the need to feel her fragile body against mine making me want to slam my fist into the wall. I'd convinced myself the situation with her was temporary, that I would have her back soon enough, but it wasn't enough. I needed to be close to her at all times. She was my sanity, the reason I stayed away from the darkness as much as I could. She was my ray of sunshine on a rainy day. My only hope to stay human when the world had forced me to turn into a vicious beast.
With my hair slicked back and my jaw clean-shaved I looked younger than my age, and I wondered whether Ophelia would like it. She'd always seen me with stubble.
"Are you ready?" Jasper called out and I nodded, buttoning up my suit jacket as I left for the limo.
The game was easy - I was supposed to lure the prick out with promises of a party at my place. I knew he wouldn't be able to resist once I mentioned the young girls there. Of course, there would be no party, and no girls he could hurt. I just needed to draw him out somehow.
We pulled up in front of the bustling casino and I walked out of the limo with my head held high. I dominated the room when I walked in, feeling several sets of eyes on me, women watching my every step. But none of it fucking mattered. It only made me feel more lonely, missing Ophelia's presence by my side where she belonged.
I saw the man seconds after walking in.
He managed to draw in a crowd, his natural charisma making people flock around the roulette table. I stocked myself with large chips and played at a couple of different tables first, quietly observing the situation.
He was handsome, but probably twice my age. The girl with him was a stunner too, with fiery red hair and a gorgeous figure eight body. She looked bored, but that didn't make me worried. It meant the man hadn't shown his true colors with her, hadn't hurt her like he had the others. I wondered why she was special, why he refrained from hurting her like so many girls before her. I figured I would soon find out.
Moments l
ater I joined the roulette table. The man watched me curiously, finally raising his hand to mine.
"We've met," he said in a friendly manner. "London, a couple years back, wasn't it?"
"That's right," I replied with a grin, shaking his hand and fighting the urge to wipe my palm clean. "You're Van Acker.”
"Indeed I am," he laughed heartily. "So, what brings you here tonight?"
"I'm local," I said. "Just out to have some fun before I move the party to my place."
The man's eyes sparkled with interest, but I pretended not to notice, focusing my attention on the roulette. I placed a large bet and won. Now he was openly staring.
"My girl and I might be looking for some fun," he finally spoke up, grabbing the redhead by her waist and pulling her closer.
She looked mildly disgusted and completely disinterested, avoiding his fingers pressing down on her hipbone.
"What kind of fun?" I asked with a grin, and we laughed at one another.
He probably thought I was his kind of despicable, and it pissed me off. I'd never hurt somebody innocent, much less a woman or a child. He was the worst kind of deplorable piece of shit, and that night, he was going to pay for everything he'd done in his miserable life.
"I think we share a couple of... interests," he winked at me and I laughed, hoping I didn't sound as fake as I felt. "Mind if we join you for the party?"
"Not at all," I replied. "Why don't you come with me, I have a limo waiting."
He grinned and grabbed the redhead, following me out of the casino. I didn't look back to see if they were keeping up, playing the part of the entitled prick perfectly.
The limo was waiting outside, and we all got in. I was surprised to see Van Acker didn't have an entourage, but it only worked in my favor. The only man with them was a man we'd bribed to take the job.
"You're free for the night, Willis," the guy told him with a shit-eating grin. "I'll call you when we need a ride."
"Yes Sir," Willis said, looking at me for confirmation.