Chapter 22
They dragged me back to the villa, where Benjamin and Alexander sat bound.
“Why did you leave me?” Nathaniel peeled an apple with a fruit knife, his sharp features devoid of emotion.
This was when he was most dangerous.
I stared silently.
He carved the apple into rabbit–shaped slices, arranging them neatly on a plate. A toothpick speared one piece, offered to me.
I didn’t move.
He smiled. “Should I start with Benjamin’s hands, or Alexander’s feet?”
My face paled.
His grin deepened. “Ah, right. You’ve already given up on Benjamin. Then should I bankrupt the Carter family? Turn Alexander into a homeless beggar? Or ship him abroad, let him rot in some alley with a needle in his arm—”
I took the apple.
His fingers trembled slightly as he suppressed the sudden wetness in his eyes.
He turned away, voice rough. “Prepare a meal. Soft foods, suitable for a patient.”
I ate the slice without reaction.
“Nathaniel,” I said quietly. “Didn’t I tell you? I can always choose death.”
No one in this world could force me.
His head snapped up-
I was already at the windowsill, smiling down at him.
“Emily!” He lunged.
I leaned back.
The wind roared in my ears.
The last thing I saw was his shattered face.
