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Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Inara
MAIN VILLA
7:34 am.
I walk quickly toward my father’s room. He woke me up by calling to expressly order me to come see him.
I barely had time to throw on a robe.
Tenter without knocking. He’s sitting up in bed with the blanket over his legs and shirtless. He glares at me.
As far as I remember, he doesn’t know about all the major screw–ups I’ve done.
“What’s going on!”
He stares at me.
“Are you trying to fuck with me?”
He gives me a hateful, contemptuous look. I knew being “summoned to my father’s room was a bad sign.
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re going to tell me you don’t know why you’re here?”
“If I’m asking, it’s because I don’t know”
“You think I’m one of your little idiots that you manipulate with your innocent smile?”
I raise my eyebrows.
“Can I know why you didn’t sleep here last night? Are you g
going to make me believe your new gym includes a sleepover package too!”
I expected this question. I’ve had time to memorize my script.
ot at a friend’s.”
“I slept
“You don’t have any friends. Where were you and with whom?”
And whose fault is it that I don’t have any friends?
“What are you trying to insinuate? remind you that I’m an adult.”
“You live under my root. You share my blood and you’re under my command, so you have to justify yourself to me!”
“You seem to already have a clear idea of what I was doing”
“want to hear your explanation
“I don’t want to give you one.”
“Did you forget that your behavior directly affects your precious Maria?”
I shoot him a deadly look clench my fists hard to stop myself from crossing that dangerous line that could get me killed.
Chapter 36
“I met a woman during my workout at the new gym. We clicked right away and went to a bar for a few drinks. She invited me to sta accepted”
“Since when do you sleep at strangers‘ places? That could’ve been a trap to get to me!”
I knew he wouldn’t be worried about me, just about himself. I could’ve told him I got back. at 2 am, but that would’ve made the lie harder
“I was too tired to come home.”
He suddenly jumps out of bed and grabs my hair violently. I take indifference.
“Look at the mall on my bed!”
I give him a suspicious look. I walk to his bod under his heavy stare and grab the envelope. A letter addressed to me, straight from the prison where I was
undercover,
“Can you explain why I found this check in your room when you were supposed to pick it up yesterday at the prison?”
He even rummages through my room. He’s starting to doubt me. I try to appear as impassive as possible.
“You searched my room.”
“I was retrieving a document for a transaction when I found it. That’s not the point.”
“I forgot I’d already picked up the check when I left the prison, but I was already driving. And since I lost my necklace there, I went back to get it I knew you wouldn’t give me a day off just for that.”
He looks at me closely, trying to read me.
*I was going to tell you, but y
(you didn’t give me the chance.”
“You’ve always got an answer
“I’m telling the truth.”
He grabs me by the throat.
“Thope you’re not lying and that you’re not hiding an affair with sogheone from the prison.”
I frown.
“No!*
“if I find out otherwise, I’ll kill you!”
He lets go of me with a sigh of relief.
Since when does my sex life interest him? I forgot I’m supposed to honor the blood in my veins,
“You think I’m going to let my daughter spread her legs for a stranger? Especially when you were on a mission!”
I’m his daughter only when it suits him…
“I have things to do, I’m leaving”
I head toward the door and add, just to end on a positive note:
“Til give Mark the weapons in a few days.
Chapter 36
“You can’t afford to screw up tonight either, remember that”
Thad completely forgotten about all this craps. Í rush out.
I don’t know how I managed to stay impassive while lying to him the whole time. I guess my will to survive gave me strength.
1:23 p.m.
I’m reviewing some data on my computer when Maria storms into my room, shooting me a look filled with disapproval while i stare back in confusion.
“What’s going on with you?”
She walks over and locks my bedroom door,
“What did you do with your day yesterday?”
Shit.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because I want to.
“I don’t have to justify myself to anyone, I just spent a day away from here.”
@to hide?”
“Why are you on the defensive if you’ve got nothing t
I head for the door, but she grabs my arm, preventing me from leaving–and from escaping this conversation
“You’re not going anywhere until you answer me.”
“Why do you think I did something wrong?”
“Answer the question.”
“I don’t want to.”
I can’t lie to her. She can always tell when I’m lying.
She steps dangerously close to me as if she’s about to stap me.
Maria has kept a certain authority over me that I don’t question, but I can’t tell her where I was yesterday–she’d probably have a heart attack if she knew the risks I took.
“Inara, tell me.”
“What does it matter to you?”
“I won’t let this go. Your clothes reek of a man’s cologne! I hope you didn’t do something stupid”
I couldn’t help but look away, I didn’t think my stuff would still smell like Alexander, even though he fell asleep on me
‘t see any men, except those in the gang!”
“I don’t see
“You’re lying! None of those men gets close enough to you for you to end up smelling like them! You told me about a man… Alexander,
“What does that have to do with anything?”
She scans me like she’s analyzing me. I hate when she does that–she always ends up reading me.
Chapter 36
“Stop looking at ate like that?”
tu koses you’ve not damnh pheligh to stregi with a straniere !
dept with anyon
“Maybe not, but you looked away when I mentioned Alexander
“You’re imagining things,”
She finally lets go of my sun and gives. a look full of wintry
“You know that man is your father’s enemy. Which mi e yours, fon Idon’t want him to hurt you or your father to Hurt
What is she imagining?
“I couldn’t stand to lose you or see you get hurt. To me, you’re my child even if we don’t share blood and come from different worlds
I can see the fear in her eyes
“Nothing happened between us.”
know you were with him.”
“So what if I spent the day with him?”
“Do you realize how dangerous he is? He could have you killed in a heartbeat, and you could die because of him if your father finds out! He has so much power and he’s ri
“you think spending a day with him means I’m in love? I hate that guy.”
“Words don’t always reflect our feelings.”
I approach her and place my hands on her shoulders. I lock eyes with her and give a reassuring smile.
“Stop worrying about me like I’m still a kid.”
“I’ll always see you as my little girl.”
if you want me to stay away from him, I will. I don’t want to worry you. Anyway, Alexander and I have nothing in common. We can’t stand each other.”
“You know your father and how he sees betrayal everywhere. He won’t let anything slide.”
My father is a paranoid freak. He’s betrayed so many people, and still does, that he’s always expecting the same in return.
“Don’t forget that behind this mask of an insensitive woman hides a woman with a big heart”
She kisses my forehead and caresses my cheek gently
“Don’t make the mistake of sleeping with that man, please. You don’t realize how much that could lead to your own downfall
I hope she’s not imagining Alexander as my fuck buddy. Not in a million years.
“That was never my intention.”
“I’d rather you sleep with anyone else just not him. Your father would never forgive you, and he’d make you pay
I don’t say anything. Maria leaves my room like a gust of wind
y with interest.”
Chapter 35
I’m not stupid enough to sleep with Alexander, knowing full well my father would kill me.
As soon as he gives me back my weapons, I’ll cut all contact with him–even if my father wants me to keep an eye on him,
AD
