Page 21 of Revealed

The calm façade is simply that. A façade. I’ve learned frommy time with this man that if he isn’t showing his anger that’s when you should be worried. My hands shake and shoulders tighten as I fight the instinct to remain rooted to this spot. If he can see my fear, he will exploit it and this situation will only get worse.

“I was coming in to check on Kennedy before getting ready for bed. Where is she?” I commend myself for keeping the fear from my voice.

He shrugs nonchalantly. “That’s not for you to worry about, now.”

Ashton rises from the chair, advancing towards me, but I move back, keeping the distance between us. If he wants me dead, he’ll have to shoot me. He stalks towards me, forcing me back into the hallway, my gaze never leaving his murderous mien.

“Francesca, I knew you would be an issue for me the moment your father willingly handed you over to us. For a fleeting second, I believed you were properly broken in, but that lack of a kiss showed me your defiance lay right beneath the surface.” He sneers at me. “Where is he?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I pray that Michael hears what’s going on up here and gets the hell out of dodge. There’s no reason that we should both go down. I had already resigned myself to this fate. There was always a chance that Ashton would dispose of me once Kennedy was of age and our hospital room bargain was fulfilled.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out you were fucking someone on my payroll?” If looks could kill I would be dead on the spot. “We made a deal, Francesca. In that hospital room, we decided that when she turned eight, she was mine to train how I pleased. You knew the day would come and yet here you are trying to take her away from me.”

“Just let me take Kennedy and we will leave. No one has to know anything,” I plead softly, hoping that this man finds an ounce of humanity somewhere within.

He raises his gun, pointing it towards me with hatred in his eyes.

“Kennedy is staying right where she is,” he declares with finality.

“What’s going on?”

Michael's deep voice breaks through the conversation. I look back to see him coming up the stairs, gun drawn and taking in the situation. Ashton doesn’t pay him any attention, keeping his focus on me.

“What’s going on is I’m contemplating whether to kill you both where you stand for your betrayal or make you pay in a much worse way,” Ashton sneers.

“Ashton, where's Kennedy?” I plead.

“My daughter is exactly where she needs to be. You both need to leave.” He cocks the gun trained on me. “Or I’ll end you here.”

I flinch as Michael’s hand wraps around my arm, tugging me back towards the steps. He hasn’t lowered his gun and it’s probably the only reason shots haven’t fired. I’m unable to stop my feet from digging into the carpet, trying to prevent my leaving without Kennedy.

“No! No! I can’t leave her here. Kennedy!” I scream out her name, hoping that she can hear me.

Ashton lowers his gun and the grin that takes over his face is one that I know won’t leave me anytime soon.

“You can and you will. As my only heir, it’s my responsibility to train her for the Rose legacy. You’ve both softened my successor, and now you get to watch me cut the weakness out of her.”

“Bullshit!” I scream and lunge at him, ready to let the secrets we’ve been holding fly free.

“Franny, let’s go,” Michael demands, moving quickly, banding an arm around my waist and pulling me down the stairs as I fight him the entire way.

“Ashton, don't do this! Give me my baby!” I plead.

The bastard just stands at the top of the stairs, looking down at us with sick satisfaction at the pain he is inflicting. Here lies the worst part about Ashton: the mind games he loves to play with his victims.

“If either of you come for Kennedy, I will make you watch as I kill her and then put both of you in the dirt where you belong. You will regret the day you crossed me,” Ashton delivers cooly.

I scream at the top of my lungs in rage. Our entire marriage I fought so hard to not allow this man to break me. The pain in my chest is my heart breaking in two as I’m ripped away from my baby girl. Michael is doing everything he can to try to calm me while dragging me out of the house to the car that was supposed to be our getaway. I break loose for a moment and make a break for the stairs, and Ashton fires off two warning shots at my feet. One grazes my foot, but I don’t feel the pain as Michael lifts me from the ground and carries me to the car. I will never come back from this.

Chapter Thirteen

MichaelEllis

Francesca is crying hysterically in the passenger seat. The hair on my arms raises at the racking sobs falling from her lips. My mind should be focused on controlling this car, but it keeps trying to make sense of the bit of conversation I walked in on. Ashton mentioned a deal with Francesca and that was the first I’d heard of it. Is she keeping secrets from me? My head shakes slightly, trying to erase the thought of betrayal. Francesca and I were in this plan together. We’re supposed to be leaving the Rose compound as a family of four, but instead two innocent children were left to a fate we can’t control. Heat burns at the back of my eyelids and tears threaten to fall. Now isn’t the time for weakness. I need to be strong for Franny.

We make it to the security gates, and I curse at the sight. One of my men is hanging from the railing. This explains how Ashton knew we were planning to escape. Francesca lets out a gasp, and I know she’s seen the body. I need to get her away from here and to the safe house to have her foot looked at. Ichance a glance over at her, to find her body shaking with the tears that continue to fall. Her attention hasn’t left the house, as though she is hoping for a glimpse of Kennedy in the middle of the night. My hand gently rubs across her back as I try to keep the car safely on the road.

Once the property is completely out of view, she folds her body over in the passenger seat, silently sobbing into her hands.