“You’ll be more of use with me,” he adds. “I need to look into who was dealing last night. The Looking Glass was supposed to be off-limits. We know how important a clean reputation is. The King’s Court might have my ass if I’m not prepared with answers. I’m not going to start off like this here. So come on. I need my Count.”
“I’m going to kill whoever drugged her. You know that right?” I straighten my suit jacket, struggling to keep my heart from busting out of my chest.
“Killing is wasteful. You have to make them realize what fuck ups they are. Teach them a lesson so they can learn from it and be better employees.” Esteban shifts his jacket, showing off a bejeweled hilt of a switchblade. He’s always been a bit of a showoff.
“Then I’ll make them wish they were dead,” I respond, cracking my knuckles. I won’t let anyone get away with thinking they can just mess with Stacia St. Germaine.
“That’s what I’m talking about. See? The sabbatical was good for you. Now you’re thinking things through. Maybe you’ll get to join me on the King’s Court, after all. This could be where we rise.” Esteban wags his eyebrows, his face lighting with a smile.
“Fuck yeah. I’ve been waiting for this moment.” I bump my knuckles to his.
He shoves me forward, getting me to head toward where he parked his car. “Good. Don’t fuck it up.”
I fuck up a lot of things in my life, but business isn’t one of them. The Looking Glass chapter will be mine.
9
Reputation
“Ifthereisanythingelse you need to tell us, do so now. It’s imperative that we have all of the details.” Daddy sits on top of his desk, towering over me, while I hunker in the chair. I can’t even look into his eyes after everything.
How he let William take control of the situation and humiliate me the way he did really fucked with me. I knew he wasn’t the best father, but I thought he would at least stand up for me. Instead, he just abandoned me. I should’ve known. He’s always put the chapter first.
“I know this is important, and I told you everything I can remember. All I know is I didn’t do it. I don’t even know that guy.” I motion toward the picture printout of the dead man that Talon took at the hotel. I had told the King’s Court that I had taken it, so they wouldn’t know that Talon showed up to help me when I was being shunned. “I’ve never seen him before. He’s obviously not in any of my circles. Just look at him.”
“Then how the hell was he in your penthouse room, Stacia?” He breaks his own rule by saying my real name within his chambers. “You left the crime scene, and we need something to feed to the police. We need to get a jump on it before the press finds out. You are lucky the Silver Screen Hotel management is on my payroll, and they were able to keep their bellhop from automatically calling the authorities.” Daddy scoops up the picture of the dead guy and tosses it on my lap. “There has to be something more that you know.”
“Take it easy, Your Majesty. I’m sure Princess is trying her best. She was out of it when she came to my door. You’ll have to give her another day. Make sure the drugs are completely gone from her system.” Talon touches my dad on the shoulder, drawing his attention away from me.
Daddy shoves him, but Talon only rocks back an inch, steeling himself in place. He is far more muscular than Daddy and younger, not exactly an even match. I’m sure Talon could knock him out. It’s why he’s the Looking Glass’s enforcer. Why his nickname is the Executioner.
“Stacia should’ve never taken drugs.” Daddy leans forward and snatches the front of my robe, dragging me out of the chair. He shakes me in front of him, not giving me a chance to stand on my feet. “You have a reputation to maintain. No daughter of mine will do drugs. Do you hear me?”
My fear gets the best of me, and I don’t answer, my body cool and shaking. Daddy drops me to my knees. I hit the floor hard and cry out. He doesn’t believe that I’m innocent. I already can tell.
I lick my lips. “I didn’t take—”
“Shut the fuck up. I’ve had enough today. You have put everything at risk, and this is going to cost us a fucking fortune to cover up. Just get out of here. You better hope that we can get this under control. Our chapter will not go down because of your bad decisions.” Daddy turns away from me and struts toward the corner of his chamber room. He pulls out his cell phone and dials. “Count, are you still around? I need you to take Princess somewhere for me. No one can know where she is right now.”
What? He’s got to be kidding me.
“Ken, I’ll take Stacia. I need the heirs to do some runs for me.” Talon shocks me by saying our names. Daddy started it, so he can’t really say much. Standing over me, Talon offers his hand out, lifting me to my feet, even though I just want to curl up on the floor and disappear. “I have a house by the beach. It’s under a family name.”
Daddy grumbles into the phone and puts it away. “Fine. Make sure to get her bodyguard in order. I can’t risk this getting out.”
“Everything’s handled. We’ll find out who drugged Stacia and killed the bastard. It’s a scandal we can spin positively. We’ve faced worse.” Talon silently motions for me to walk to the door. “Trust our chapter. We have never let you down.”
Daddy doesn’t respond, and Talon doesn’t wait.
I hope that he believes him.
I hope Talon is right.
“You need to sleep, Stacia. You’ve been up for almost thirty hours.” Talon hovers in the doorway of the master suite of his beachfront mansion. I don’t know what I was expecting, considering he doesn’t live the same lavish lifestyle in the city, but it wasn’t this Malibu estate.
I stare out the panoramic window at the dark beach. The only light sparkles from the moon. “I know that, but I can’t. Every time I close my eyes...” I shudder and rest my elbows on my knees. “I don’t want to sleep alone. Will you stay with me?”
Talon hovers in the doorway, pausing to think about my question. My heart pounds harder the longer he hesitates.