Descent

by Natasha Knight

  “Turn,” I tell her.

  She grits her teeth and turns. The dress hugs her curves, accentuating her tiny waist, the flare of her hips and her round ass.

  She faces me again. “Satisfied?”

  “More than.”

  I touch the lock of hair allowed to escape her twist, tuck it behind her ear, take in the dark kohl that makes her eyes look huge, the deep crimson lipstick I want to kiss off, to smear across her face.

  Stain her.

  I wrap my hand around the nape of her slender neck. She’s so much smaller than me and I don’t know if it’s that or something else that makes me feel so protective of her.

  “What happened this morning?” I ask.

  “You were there. I’m sure you remember the details.”

  “What upset you?”

  “You mean apart from signing over controlling shares of Abbot Enterprises and having my ass fucked?”

  “I thought you enjoyed the ass fucking. You came. More than once.”

  “You said yourself you were bringing me down a notch. You got what you wanted.”

  “You don’t have to fight me.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I’ll take care of you. You know that.”

  “I know no such thing. And really, this is just strange. What do you want, Hayden? You want to see our family destroyed, yet you’ll take care of me? Do you just want me in your debt? Oh wait, no. You want me on my knees.”

  “You asked me earlier if you deserved to be punished. You do not. But you are caught up in this.”

  “Because of who I am.”

  “Yes.”

  “Tell me what you think he did.”

  “Not what I think. What I know.” I check my watch, grit my teeth as the evening draws nearer. I’m not looking forward to this. “We need to go.” I take her elbow.

  “Wait.” She pulls free and picks up her clutch. I open the door. She walks out and down the stairs ahead of me.

  Shane is waiting at the door.

  “What is the auction for?” she asks as I lay her coat over her shoulders.

  I put my own coat on and signal to Shane who opens the door.

  Persephone shudders at the sudden icy chill.

  I wrap an arm around her, and we walk to the car, climbing into the backseat. I glance at my house in the darkness, a hulking, broken thing left to rot. I wonder if Nora haunts it. I hope not. I hope she’s at peace.

  “A fund raiser for Senator Hughes,” I say.

  “Senator Hughes? He was going to run against my father. He’s corrupt, Hayden. You support him?”

  I turn to her, give her a grin. “Politics are complicated.”

  “No, they aren’t. You either have morals or you don’t. They’re actually quite simple.”

  “Is that so? And on which side did your father fall?”

  “I can’t go. I won’t support my father’s rival.”

  “Your father’s out of the race, sweetheart.”

  “Don’t be a jerk.”

  “Besides, you’ll get to see Jonas again. Won’t that be nice?”

  “What?” her face drains of color. It surprises me.

  “My father will be there too. It’ll be a fucking family reunion.”

  “Hayden,” she starts, putting her hand on my arm. “I don’t want to go. I can’t.”

  “Can’t and won’t are two different things. You’re going.”

  “Please.”

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart, daddy will never find out.”

  “It’s not…I just….”

  “You just what?”

  She studies me for a long moment, then shakes her head. “Please don’t make me. I’m asking.”

  “Why?”

  “Just…please.”

  I study her, more curious than ever. “Tell me and I’ll think about it.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Then you’re going. It’s very simple.”

  I’m surprised when she shifts her gaze out the window, dropping the argument. I half expect her to pick it up again, but she remains quiet until we pull into the parking lot at the event center.

  Two hundred-fifty guests. A five-course meal. Ten-thousand dollars a plate.

  We pull to a stop and I open my door, stepping out. I take in a deep breath of fresh, icy air and extend my hand to help Persephone out.

  She places her small, clammy hand in mine. I think about how surprised my father will be to see me tonight. How surprised Jonas will be to see Persephone on my arm.

  My father made a donation to the Hughes campaign, but I doubled it. I guess he thought I wouldn’t see it coming. But I see everything. And I forget nothing.

  “Hayden,” Persephone says, finally stepping out of the car. Her face is paler as she looks beyond me at the interior buzzing with donors. “It’ll be awkward.”

  “I could give a fuck about awkward. Let’s go.”

  18

  Persephone

  My ears are ringing when we walk into the luxurious event space. Someone plays the piano in the background as formally dressed waiters carry trays of champagne in crystal flutes.

  I don’t want to lean into Hayden’s hand which is resting on the bare skin of my lower back, but he will be the only thing standing between me and Jonas tonight.

  “You’re shivering,” Hayden says.

  “It’s cold.” We left our coats at the coat check.

  A waiter passes with a tray of champagne and I reach out to take one. Hayden watches me swallow the contents.

  “Did you eat this afternoon?”

  “Why are you so concerned with my diet?”

  “Because I don’t want you passing out.”

  “I won’t pass out.” I place my empty glass back on the tray and take a full one.

  “Take it easy on the champagne.”

  “Hayden Montgomery! I don’t believe it,” a woman says.

  We both turn to watch her approach. I’d guess her to be in her late thirties. A man follows close behind and the difference in how they look at Hayden is night and day. “Color me surprised when I saw your name on the guest list,” she says flirtatiously, and I decide instantly that I don’t like her.

  “Monica,” Hayden says, letting her touch her cheeks to his as if they’re Europeans greeting each other. “A pleasant surprise, I hope.”

  “You’re always a pleasant surprise, darling.”

  I can’t help my snort and she turns to me, eyes not quite as warm as they were when she looked at Hayden.

  “This is Persephone,” Hayden says, fingers caressing the naked part of my back.

  Monica smiles because she has to.

  The man she’s with clears his throat. “You’d think they’d offer whiskey,” he says, taking a flute of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray.

  “Frank,” Hayden says, his smile more of a sneer. “Good to see you out and about.”

  “Is it?” he asks, shifting his gaze to me, openly looking me over but not greeting me.

  Monica leans in close to Hayden. “Your father’s holding court in the blue room,” she whispers.

  Hayden stiffens beside me. “Is he?”

  “I thought you’d want to know.”

  “Thank you.” He turns to me. “Shall we?”

  “Nice to meet you,” I say out of habit as we walk away. “That was gross. She looks at you like it’s her birthday and you’re her cake.”

  He smiles, his attention straight ahead as he guides me through the room. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I only have eyes for you.”

  “Oh, I’m not worried. I just don’t want you limiting your options.” I give him a smirk when he glances my way.

  “You’ve perked up.”

  I set my empty champagne on a passing waiter’s tray and pick up a new one.

  Hayden eyes me warily.

  “Dinner isn’t for half an hour at least. Anna said you didn’t eat this morning and I’m guessing you didn’t take yourself out to lunch when you d
isappeared so take it easy. I’m not saying it again.”

  “You don’t dictate what I eat or drink.” To make my point, I swallow a gulp. I’ll need this to face Jonas.

  His eyes narrow and he opens his mouth to say something but we both hear his father at the same time. I don’t know what he feels at the sound, but panic grips me.

  “I need to use the lady’s room,” I say, slipping away before he can respond.

  Sweat collects under my arms and beads across my forehead. Sound seems to bounce off the walls of the hall as too many people talk at once, the noise a constant buzzing in my ear. I can’t make out a single word as I weave through throngs of people and make my way toward the bathrooms which are tucked away at the end of a hall.

  The moment I’m inside, I lock the door behind me and lean against it.

  My heart is pounding, and I’ve broken into a full sweat. Anxiety knots stomach and the champagne I swallowed leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

  I haven’t seen Jonas since the night after I broke off our engagement. Hayden is right. Jonas is not a good guy. I should have known it after that Halloween night. But when Nora died, he was so broken up, so upset and it seemed I was the only one who could comfort him.

  He left for university soon after her death and I didn’t see him for four years. And when he came home, he seemed different than he’d been. Like he’d changed. He even looked different. Gone was the devil-may-care attitude that made people want to be around him. There was something darker about him. Something infinitely sadder and it drew me.

  Jonas thought it best we keep the fact that we were dating a secret. He thought it might be strange for our families. I went along with it assuming it was because my father and his father weren’t on good terms, only telling my father after we got engaged. I remember he’d been livid.

  But then, after the hit-and-run, I was left in charge of Abbot Enterprises. I found something that made me see things differently. That made me understand why Jonas wanted to keep our relationship a secret. And I know my father had never intended for me to find it. That’s when I’d understood his reaction to our announcement.

  I broke off our engagement that same night.

  Jonas had become angry to the point of violence. I’d never seen him like that before. It was like a switch had been flipped and to this day, I think the only reason it wasn’t worse was because I told him I knew what he’d done.

  He tried to call the next night. The one after that. Every night for a month. Left apologies on voicemail. Sent flowers. Begged me to give him another chance. To let him explain.

  When I didn’t reply, the messages got ugly until I finally threatened to go to the police.

  “I can’t do this,” I say out loud. I step away from the door and force a deep breath in. I set my clutch on the counter, turn on the tap and wet a towel with cold water, patting it along my forehead and the back of my neck to cool myself. My face has gone a sickly white and I’m dizzy.

  I sit on the velvet couch until the dizziness passes. There’s a knock on the door.

  “Just a minute,” I call out.

  I get up, force a deep breath in. I’ll slip away. Tell Hayden I didn’t feel well. Tell him he was right about the champagne. Anything to get out of this. Get out of having to see Jonas again.

  The knock comes again, and I steel my spine. Picking up my clutch, I open the door and a woman gives me an annoyed glance before slipping past me into the lady’s room.

  I quickly glance around for Hayden but when I don’t see him, I make my way to the exit. I pass the coat check and remember that Hayden has our claim tickets so, hugging my arms to myself, I’m about to step out into the icy night when a voice stops me dead in my tracks.

  “Well, well.”

  A chill runs down my suddenly rigid spine.

  “You’re leaving early,” he says. “Without even a hello.”

  I still don’t turn and for the number of people in here, it may as well be just the two of us.

  Jonas Montgomery steps in front of me. I look up at him, at his bright blue eyes. Eyes that lie. That hide the real man inside.

  He’s wearing a tuxedo like Hayden and runs his fingers through his dirty blond hair pushing it off his forehead.

  The all-American boy. A boy all the girls look twice at.

  They wouldn’t if they knew him. Really knew him. They’d see the shadow of his soul leeching into his handsome face, his bright eyes.

  “Are you taking turns with the Montgomery men?” he asks, swallowing the last of his drink and setting the glass aside. I see from the way he moves that he’s already had too much.

  “You’re drunk,” I say.

  “Am I?”

  I sidestep to get around him but he blocks my path.

  “Get out of my way, Jonas.”

  “No. Not until you talk to me.”

  “I’m not talking to you.”

  “On his order?” he snorts. Hate fills his eyes as they skim over me.

  He splays his hand across my belly and walks me backward until we’re in an alcove just beside the exit doors.

  “Is dad next? You always did behave like a whore around him. Or is he too old for you? Maybe Ares? Hell, maybe you can take Ares and Hayden together. A threesome. One up your tight ass and one in your big mouth. Can you even tell them apart?”

  “If he sees you with me, he’ll kill you.”

  “He’s busy.”

  “What do you want?”

  “You don’t return my fucking calls. You need to return my calls.”

  “I don’t need to do anything. Leave me alone.”

  He looks me over then leans close. “You look good. Sucking my bastard brother’s dick agrees with you.”

  “Get away from me. I’m warning you.”

  He laughs in my face and I wonder if he’s stoned too when I see how his pupils are dilated.

  “You’re warning me?” He rubs the corner of his mouth with his thumb. “Warning me about what?”

  “I can still go to the police.”

  “You’re not going to do that.”

  He’s right. I’m not. I can’t.

  I straighten, steeling my spine. Jonas Montgomery is a bully. Always has been.

  “Get away from me.”

  “Don’t be like that, baby,” he says more gently, changing tactics.

  “I’m not your baby.”

  He leans in closer and I can smell his stale breath. “You won’t see me. You won’t let me talk to you. How can I explain when you won’t let me talk to you? I told you I was sorry. You just made me so angry that night.” He leans his weight into his hand which is still pressed to my belly. “Don’t you see how much I care about you?”

  “If you really cared about me, you’d respect my wishes,” I try, knowing Jonas doesn’t care about anyone. I don’t know if he has the capacity to even if he believes he does. He’s sick. Twisted.

  I push at his hand, but he shifts it higher, his gaze sliding to my breast that he’s almost cupping. When he returns his eyes to mine, there’s a meanness inside them, a cruelty I remember from the last night I saw him.

  A cruelty that scares me.

  “I don’t want to have to hurt you again,” he warns, and I force his words to give me strength, not steal it away. Not like then.

  I can fight. I will. Even if he’s stronger than me, people will hear. He can’t hurt me, not here.

  He brings his mouth to my ear, his cheek to my cheek and I squeeze my eyes shut.

  “But I will.”

  “Oh, I know you will. But remember one thing.” I set my hands on his shoulders, he grins. But he’s got the wrong idea. I force a cold smile and whisper my next words. “I know what you did.”

  His blue eyes turn to ice, his body going rigid with rage.

  With all the force I can muster, I bring my knee up hard because I want to smash his balls so hard, he can’t ever fuck again.

  But he’s ready for me. Men like him must always be ready w
hen a woman fights.

  He catches my knee between his thighs and grips my neck hard.

  “You’re a whore, you know that?” he sneers and squeezes his hand around my throat before I can make a sound.

  I’m on tiptoe, hands desperately trying to pry his arm off, but I’m no match. I never was. I can’t even scream. He’s cut off my oxygen. All these people here, all the people milling around drinking their champagne just a few feet from us and no one to help me.

  Jonas leans in close, his breath wet against my cheek. “Does my brother know?”

  “Get…off.”

  “Did you tell him?”

  I try to shake my head, to mouth the word ‘no’.

  “No one would believe you anyway. No one.”

  Just as my vision starts to fade, I hear him. I hear Hayden. And an instant later, Jonas’ hand is gone from my neck and I suck in oxygen.

  My knees buckle as I watch Hayden loom over his stepbrother, his hand around Jonas’ throat lifting Jonas off his feet.

  “Did she tell me what?” he asks Jonas just before slamming him against the wall.

  I scream as Jonas’ head bounces off and I grab Hayden’s arm when he draws it back to punch him.

  “Stop! Hayden stop!”

  “Did she tell me what?” Hayden asks again as I hang off his arm.

  “Sloppy seconds, brother?” Jonas taunts.

  “I’m not your brother, asshole.”

  Jonas is flippant even though he must know that physically, he’s no match. “No, you’re the bastard. Thanks for reminding me.”

  I see the rage collecting in Hayden’s eyes and I think he’s going to kill him. I really think he’s going to kill Jonas.

  “He’s drunk, Hayden.” I try to tug at his arm, to get him away. “And he’s not worth it.”

  But it’s like he doesn’t hear me, and I realize how quiet it’s gotten. How a crowd has gathered around us when only moments ago when Jonas would have choked me, when I needed help, no one came.

  “Walk away, Persephone,” Hayden tells me, never taking his eyes off Jonas.

  I shake my head, tears burning my eyes. “You’ll kill him.”