Chapter 12 - FATHER
Senator Thorne took Mara to an abandoned family estate outside the city.
No press.
No staff.
Just armed men.
Mara sat across from him in an old dining room.
“Untie me.”
“No.”
“I’m six months pregnant.”
“I’m aware.”
“Congratulations. You know something about one of your children.”
His face tightened.
“I deserve that.”
“You deserve worse.”
He poured water.
Mara didn’t touch it.
“You think I never cared about you.”
“You let me clean your toilet.”
“I didn’t know you’d been hired until months later.”
“And then?”
“I thought keeping you close was safer.”
Mara laughed.
“Everybody keeps using that word.”
“I watched over you.”
“You watched Bianca abuse me.”
“I didn’t know the extent.”
“You didn’t want to know.”
Thorne looked away.
That was answer enough.
“Did you love my mother?”
“Yes.”
Mara hated how fast he said it.
“Then why did you destroy her?”
“Because she was going to destroy me.”
“That isn’t love.”
“No.”
For once, he sounded honest.
“I was young. Ambitious. Cowardly.”
“You’re still cowardly.”
“Yes.”
Mara stared.
She had expected denial.
Excuses.
Anger.
Not this.
Thorne leaned forward.
“Mercer wanted Eleanor dead.”
Mara’s face changed.
“What?”
“I stopped him.”
“You expect gratitude?”
“No.”
“He killed Antonio.”
“Yes.”
“With your help.”
Thorne closed his eyes.
“I gave him Antonio’s location.”
Mara felt sick.
“Why?”
“Antonio was going to expose everything.”
“So you had him murdered.”
“I thought Mercer would scare him.”
“You don’t actually believe that.”
“No.”
Thorne looked suddenly ancient.
“No, I don’t.”
Mara stood as far as the restraints allowed.
“Then let me go.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because Mercer escaped custody two hours ago.”
Mara froze.
“What?”
“He has people inside law enforcement.”
“And you brought me here?”
“To keep you away from Vale.”
“Dante is protecting me.”
“Dante is exactly where Mercer expects him to be.”
Thorne stood.
“He knows Dante will burn the city down looking for you.”
Mara’s heartbeat accelerated.
“What are you saying?”
“This was never only about evidence.”
Thorne stepped closer.
“Mercer needs Dante dead.”
Mara understood.
“I’m bait.”
“Yes.”
The windows shattered.
Gunfire ripped through the room.
Thorne threw Mara to the floor.
His guards fired back.
Mara screamed as glass rained over her.
Outside, engines roared.
Men shouted.
Then a voice boomed from the hallway.
“Senator!”
Mercer.
Thorne pulled a gun.
Mara stared at him.
“You knew he’d come.”
“I hoped I had more time.”
Mercer’s men broke through the front doors.
Thorne cut Mara’s restraints.
“Go through the kitchen.”
“What about you?”
He looked at her.
For one strange second, she saw herself in his eyes.
“I failed your mother.”
Gunshots thundered closer.
“I won’t fail you too.”
Then Mara’s stomach tightened violently.
Pain ripped across her lower back.
She gasped.
Thorne stared.
“No.”
May you like
Warm liquid ran down Mara’s legs.
Her water had broken.
