Page 35 of Jake

I placed a hand on his arm. “There’s no need to explain, I was merely curious. Why did you want me to come? It sounded urgent.”

Whatever Francois had to say needed to be said fast as night had begun creeping in, and the light was beginning to fade. A rustling nearby caught our attention and I heard movement as people approached. I assumed it was probably another couple who knew about the secret hiding spot.

Francois pulled me behind him when three large men burst from the hedge, heads and faces covered in balaclavas.

“Who are you?” Francois asked.

“Your worst fucking nightmare.” While one of the men placed a cloth over my mouth and held me in a vice-like grip, the other two beat Francois mercilessly until he dropped to the ground. Tears streamed down my face as I fought against the hold, desperate to help Francois.

A gunshot sounded more like a canon in the silence of the deserted park, and I screamed in horror at the sight of the bullet hole dead centre in the young man’s forehead.

The man released his hold and grabbed me by the wrist, attempting to lead me away while the other two men dragged Francois’ body to where it would be found. They were sending a message to someone, but to who? And why?

I fought, screamed, and bit at his arm. It was all in vain. He swept me up, hung me over his shoulder, and using the shadows, raced from the park. I heard the footsteps behind us as the other men fled.

Once on the street, my captor turned into a dark alley and set me onto my feet.

“Who the fuck are you and what do you want? I’ll go to the police.” I had no idea what I’d tell them since the men’s faces had all been concealed.

The man had a tight grip on my arms and despite my efforts, I was unable to break free.

“Miss Hume, stop the goddamn struggling. We were sent by your father to follow you.”

I froze. “My father?”

“Yes, he’s waiting for you back at March Downs.”

“You have a car?”

“Parked around the corner.”

“Take me there now.”

As he led me from the alley and onto the street where a dark-coloured sedan was parked nearby, sirens filled the air. He hurried me into the car, and as we drove away, police cars sped past, coming to a stop at the gated entry of the park. I had no doubt someone had heard the gunshot and my screams and called the police.

I sat in silence as the man drove towards my home. He’d removed the balaclava, and I recognised him as George O’Callaghan, one of the men in Daddy’s inner circle.

He turned into the circular driveway and pulled the car to a stop at the bottom of the steps that led to the front door. I was out before he could say another word and raced up the steps, pushed the door open, and screamed out Daddy’s name. He appeared from the direction of his study and I stomped towards him.

When I was close, I pounded his chest with my fists as tears flowed over my cheeks. He stood for a moment, stoic as always, waiting for me to ‘get a grip,’ as he often said.

“Why? Why? He did nothing wrong.”

Father moved me away, out of reach.

“Why? You ask, why? After flaunting yourself with him last night at the masquerade ball, meeting with him in a café, and then having a clandestine meeting for fuck knows what after dark, you ask why? You meet a man who is the son of my worst enemy, planning fuck knows what, and you ask, why?”

“I had already told him there would be no chance of friendship or a relationship. You had an innocent man killed! He’d done nothing to you! Nothing to this family!”

“He had the blood of evil coursing through his veins, Eleanor. That family had stolen one woman from me, and they weren’t stealing another.”

I spun away and started for my suite. Fury didn’t begin to explain what I felt.

“Where are you going?”

“Fuck off, Daddy. I’m going to my room, and tomorrow I’ll be moving into an apartment of my own.”

“You can’t do that, it’s not safe.”