Page 60 of Oblivion
Like father, like daughter. That was what people always told me.
I grew up thinking I was the same as Nikolai. Thinking that the rotten things lived inside of my genome, and that there was no escape from that.
“Ophelia.” He murmured my name, as he sat down on the sofa. “I’m not going to pretend that I didn’t fuck up. I did. I messed up so badly. If I were you, I wouldn’t forgive me either. My papa gave me so much shit about the way I handled things, but I just want you to hear me out.”
I refused to look at him.
“Nikolai promised me he wouldn’t hurt you as long as I did what he demanded of me. As long as he had control over the West, he promised he wouldn’t involve you in this world. When I saw you in Siberia, I knew he was lying. I knew he would try to destroy you, just how he destroyed your mother. But you were stronger than him. You are stronger than all of us.” He took a deep breath and looked toward the door. “I confronted him, planned to take you away, but he was faster. Before I could get to you, he had you shipped away from Siberia.”
He took my hand and squeezed tight, but I refused to react to that.
“He was a monster who always wanted things that didn’t belong to him. He always wanted more and more and more, and his greed almost destroyed us all.”
“Did you know about the Red Manor?” I asked. “Did you know he kidnapped young boys and used them as sex slaves?”
He cringed at that name. “No. Not until recently. But we still don’t know the location, and the people he was involved with are the ones holding the reins now. Logan Nightingale is the one leading that right now, and we’re trying to stop it, but I can’t be everywhere.”
“What do you mean?” I looked at him.
“Sindikatneeds a leader, Ophelia. They need someone strong enough to take over.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Absolutely not.”
“Just hear me out.”
“No,” I said and stood up. “I am not going back to that world. I don’t want anything to do with it.”
“Ophelia, whether you want to admit it or not, you were born to lead. You were born to take over.”
“No. Nope. Absolutely not. I refuse to be that monster again. I refuse to kill innocent people.”
“You wouldn’t,” he argued and stood up after me, earning another growl from Kaiser. “I just want you to think about it. Please,” he begged. “I don’t want to leave you like this, but this is one of the reasons why I came here.”
“So all that bullshit about connecting with me—”
“That’s all true. But I know it will take time for you to trust me. I know that this is the only way. Here.” He took out a black card with a red dragon on the back and extended it to me. “My number is there. Just think about what I said.”
“I-I,” I stammered. “I honestly don’t think this is a good idea.”
“The Syndicate isn’t as bad as Nikolai made it out to be. Yes, we are definitely not the good guys, but the real Syndicate isn’t going after innocent people. That was his MO not ours. Just think about it and call me if you need anything.”
He started heading toward the door but stopped in the middle of the hallway.
“And Ophelia,” he called out. “Agon will never bother you again. I’ve made sure of it.”
“You did that?” I asked and went after him. “Why?”
“He’s been working with someone who wants you dead. And he’s been working with Logan Nightingale. I couldn’t get to thatsvoloch', but I will. He’s going to learn what the real meaning of pain is.”
I stood there, holding the card in my hand, gaping at the man who was my father. My real father. And I had nothing to say.
He killed Agon for me.
He would kill Logan for me, and he just offered me his entire empire.
“I expect to hear from you soon,drakon.” He smiled. “But if I don’t, I know where to find you.”
“Is that a threat?” I asked.
