Faith watched the men of the family talk. The father sat calmly by Alastair’s desk. It soothed her to see he wasn’t worried.
“What if our father brings an army of men?” Hope asked.
“It’s taken care of, girls.”
Faith looked over her shoulder at Blake and nodded.
“The show’s about ready to start,” Duncan said.
“Girls, we want you to show as much fear as possible. We want them to think they’re taking you,” Blake said.
Hope started crying, and Faith knew it wasn’t for show, so she put her arm around her, and they pressed their heads together.
Faith heard her father’s booming voice, and it made her stomach twist with anxiety and fear. They wouldn’t have to pretend to be afraid. They couldn’t help not feeling it.
The door opened, and her father walked in, followed closely by another man and then Alastair.
“There are the two little cunts,” her father said. He turned to the other man. “I told you, Rizzo, this family wouldn’t want to fight with ours.” He turned to Angus. “You’re a smart man, Angus. Our two families would have destroyed yours if you didn’t comply.”
“If you remember right, Lorenzo, I’m the one who called you,” Angus said. “I’m too weak and old to have to deal with an all-out war.”
The hate she felt for her father rose so much that she shook with rage. If she had a gun, she’d happily kill the bastard right then.
Rizzo looked like he still didn’t trust Angus. “I would have still felt better having some of my men in here.”
“We needed them outside for the perimeter. We don’t have the manpower to secure the estate, and I thought with the heads of three families in the same house, we’d be in danger,” Angus said.
“If there’s nothing else, I’d like to take my daughters home,” Lorenzo said.
Hope started sobbing against her shoulder, so Faith tightened her arms and glared at her father.
Lorenzo chuckled and turned to Rizzo. “See, I told you she had spirit.”
Rizzo’s eyes turn hard and hot. “Good. She’ll make a fine wife.”
Alastair raised his hand when Lorenzo started for them.
“Hold it.” He whistled, the door opened, and several men stepped in. “Take the women out.”
“Wait a damn minute,” Lorenzo said.
“No. We’d like to talk about a deal before you take them. Did you really think you wouldn’t have to pay?” Alastair said.
The men and Blake yanked them off the sofa. Although they looked like they were being harsh, they were gentle. Both women struggled as they dragged them out of the room.
The office door closed, and Blake and the men released them.
Blake took Hope’s hand. “Let’s go, girls. I want you as far away from them as possible.”
Faith couldn’t agree more, but she also wanted to be able to see her father and the monster brought down.
The front door opened when they reached the top of the stairs. Faith turned to look and was shocked to see a beautiful woman dressed in black with long dark hair pulled into a high ponytail, followed by four huge men.
She knocked once and opened the office door.
“Come on, miss,” one of Alastair’s guards said to her.
She nodded and let them lead her down the hallway. She’d find out about the woman later. Right now, she needed to take care of her sister.