Queen (Mistress & Master of Restraint) (120 page)

“Who’s
the leak, Mother?” he demands.

“Ah… Yes, the ironic beauty of the mole. Poor Adelaide Whittenhower rotting away in WinterCrest. She was the perfect patsy for the books. She didn’t write a word of it. A Whittenhower wrote a few passages,” she laughs maniacally.

“Her Master wanted a clear divide between Adelaide and her enemies. Adelaide was always in the middle, much like yourself. Her name as the author solidified her pariah status. Sheer brilliance,” she praises.

“The mole, M
other?”  He reminds her again.

“Ah… Yes, the ironic beauty of the mole,” she sings. “Having you investigate the mole was the most impressive part of it all,” she gloats.

“Why is that?”  His voice screams that he knows what comes next.

“It was you, Son. You’re the mole,” she says loudly.

A second later the door flings open with a pleased, crazed Olivia standing before us. We freeze in shock as she strides forward. She tosses her daughter a disapproving look and growls to me, “She’s all yours; she’s no use to me any longer.”

She looks down at her daughter and maliciously smiles. “This is your father’s whore. She’s your mother now.”

Our collective gasp echoes around the hallway as Marcus pulls his daughter from my arms and envelopes her. They latch on to each other and he has tears in his eyes.

“She’s not worth it,” Mar
cus murmurs. “You’re not her.”

We’re all so stunned at what she said, that we just gape at her as she strides down the staircase to leave.

“Stop her,” Marc calls out to Roarke, and the big man grips her wrist halting her exit.

“Roarke, escort Ms. Fontaine from the building, take her to Edge and remove her possessions. You have one hour to vacate the premises. Do not go anywhere that I own. I will have you arrested for trespass,” Marcus declares as he holds his weeping daughter. The expression on his face says he’s never letting her go, because if he did, he’d strangle her mother
to death with his bare hands.

“I was the leak,” Dalton sobs. “I’m so sorry,” he cries. I stride into the apartment and kneel down next to him. I clutch his hand in mine as Whitt joins us, and takes his other hand.

“You didn’t know, Son,” Marcus says in comfort.

“
I need punished,” he whimpers.

“No, Son, you don’t. We all understand.” Marcus comes over to Dalton and lays a heavy hand on his shoulder.

“Master, you know what I am. You trained me. I need it gone,” he pleads.

“What does he
mean?” Spyder asks in a panic.

“He’s a masochist, Itsy
Bitsy,” her father says sadly.

“You’re not going to hurt him are you? That would make you as bad as them,” she accuses.
She panics and starts to struggle until she’s no longer touching her father. She kneels next to me and tries to touch her brother.

“No, I promise I won’t hurt him.” He rubs Dalton’s shoulder and sighs loudly.

“Devlin, escort Bianca and Sebastian to Edge and make sure that Olivia is gone from the premises, please.” Marcus takes charge of the disaster Olivia Fontaine left behind.

“Katya, take our daughters home. Ezra will join you. I need Cortez for the evening.”

“No, I’m not leaving him,” Spyder cries, and it renews Dalton’s sobs. She clutches him to her. Her desperation makes her look like a frightened animal that will fight to the death to save her family. 

“Little monster, please come and get her.” Marc says as he tries to pry Spyder away from Dalton. Panic crosses Dalton’s features and he murmurs, “Itsy
, c’est pour le mieux. Rentrer à la maison avec votre famille,” in a torrent of hurried words.  

“You’re my family,” she screeches as Ava tries
to pull her away from Dalton.

“Niel, I want you to go get your sister and bring her to ShadowHaven. You will stay with the girls until Spyder is acclimated. Act like a man, do you understand me?” Marcus cautions.

I narrow my eyes at Marcus and try to figure out what he’s doing with my children.

“Yes, Sir,” Niel’s voice is thick with emotion. He tries to gingerly pull Spyder away while Dalton tries to push, but she won’t let go. He finally gives up and yanks her. He tosses her over his shoulder and jogs away.

“Hold up, Ezra,” Marcus barks. “Katya will drive Niel and the girls,” Marcus says as he stands from his crouch.

“Ezra, if you’ve ever trusted me you will do ex
actly as I say,” Marcus warns.

“What? You know damned well that I trust you in all thing
s,” Ezra replies in confusion.

“Get your mother out of my house before my daughter and Ella shows up. She can’t see either one of them. Trust me on this. Drive her to the jet and physically place her on it. Tell them to fly her to the Hastings. Make sure it goes to California.”

“Why?” Ezra breathes.

“Don’t ask,” he clips out.

“I’ll try my best,” Ezra says as he turns to leave.

“
Don’t try- do it!” Marcus bellows and we all flinch.

“You know how she is, saying I will do my best is the best you can hope for. What’s going on?” Hurt crosses Ezra’s face and I want to comfort him. I worry that this will push him over the brink and
split his personality again.

“Your mother’s best friend was just escorted from this building. You better hope she’s still at ShadowHaven when you get there. Having the two of them plotting our demise will make what they’ve already put us through look like a walk in the park.
Hurry!” He snaps.

Ezra bolts from the room at a dead run. His facial expression was the same one that Spyder wore- the same one as Dalton’s. I guess it’s the night to find out that your mothers are sociopaths bent on your destruction.

“Cort and Roman will take your things to the Brownstone. You’ll stay with Roman and Jamie. Jamie will be pleased to have you nearby. Welcome home, Son. I’d have you come to ShadowHaven, but I know you’d be more comfortable at the Brownstone.”

Marcus squeezes Dalton’s shoulder a few times and leans down to kiss his forehead.

He whispers into his ear, “While the guys are moving your belongings, Dexter will ease you of your agony and guilt.”

Chapter Fifty-Three

“Don’t cry,” Marcus murmurs to me and wipes a few stray tears away.

I
sniffle and reply, “I’m okay.”

I didn’t want to watch as Dexter whipped Dalton as punishment. We were all punished- the members as we watched, Dexter as he wielded the whip, and Dalton as he limply hung on the cross and desperately sought his redemption.

I wanted to flee the dungeon and lock myself in my room. I felt weak. If Dalton could show the strength for such a brutal punishment, then I should be able to watch it. Every member watched as Dalton showed us how badly he wished to be forgiven. I gazed at my husband as he looked on with a stony-face. I don’t know what he was thinking, but if he could muster the strength to watch, then so could I.

I stayed out of respect, as we all did. As the whip made its final descent Dalton was officially one of us. We had already accepted him, but he finally accepted that he belonged with us.

“I’m going to go to my room now,” I mumble incoherently through my tears.

“Regina,” Marcus breathes my name in his long-suffering sigh and rubs a hand over the back of his neck in frustration. “We need to talk. C
ome home with me,” he pleads. 

I wince when he says the word ‘talk’. “I can’t go to your wife’s home,” I snap sharply.

“That’s part of the talk,” Marcus murmurs and takes my hand. “Your children are at ShadowHaven, but your husband isn’t,” he uses the one thing he knows will convince me. “What if Spyder needs a womanly touch?”

“She has Katya. Besides, I want to check on Dalton. I need to know he’s okay.” I try to tug him to my roo
m, but he’s dragging his feet.

“I don’t want Katya to mother my daughter. She doesn’t know her,” he mumbles.

“She doesn’t know me either,” I protest. I want to love the girl; I just don’t know what kind of game he’s playing.

“She likes you, I can tell. All kids gravitate towards you. You’re the ultimate mother,” he says softly with affection. “Look at how you declared everyone around you your responsibility. Your need to go see Dalton right now is why I love you so much. Come home with me so we can talk. I have something important to say,” he begs and pulls me towards the exit.

I shudder as his words hit me. “I’m scared,” I breathe, but his sonic hearing picks it up anyway.

“I know,” he says knowingly and grins. “You have no reason to be scared- I promise. Come home,” he drawls out in a sedu
ctive purr and I roll my eyes.

“Okay,” he cuts the shit, “Begging doesn’t work, nor does seduction. I’ll tell you the truth.” He holds my eyes and I know what he’s going to say is important.

“I need you to come home with me. I need to hold you while we sleep, and I need you to hold me back. I want to wake up in the middle of the night and have a conversation with you or just watch you sleep. It’s been too long, and I can’t wait any more. My daughter’s life just obliterated at her feet, and her brother is wrecked. Dalton is well taken care of tonight. He has Whitt, Jamie, and Roman, and he’s comfortable with all of them. Even Cort is staying there in case Diane shows up, and she’ll never hurt him. Azriel is with us so that she won’t hurt us either.

Whittenhower Estates is empty too. Daniel sent Priscilla, Whitney, and Priss upstate to be with Kate. He took off with Diane and Olivia. But I fear that Whittenhower will be their base until they can reclaim ShadowHaven. I’ve clumped the members together for protection. So come home with me so I don’t have to worry about you. We need to take care of those kids. I can’t concentrate on my daughter if I don’t know you’re safe. I understand that you’re scared because I am too,” he growls and po
unds his chest over his heart.

“Okay,” I sniffle. “Let’s go home to the kids.”

***

“Niel, what are we going to do,” Ava whispers in the dark.

Marcus and I stand in the doorway to Ava’s bedroom. The green and purple room is opulent yet understated, just like the girl who is whispering.
The lumps in the center of the king size bed must be Spyder and Ella.

“I’ve talked to her about how my father left us. I know my parents will be pissed, but I had to tell her so she’ll known we’re not our parents. You should tell her how you were made,” his soft voice is even more soothing in the darkness. 

Marc and I share a look. My son has told Ava, and now Spyder, our sordid history. We have two weeks left until mission
Storm Misery Castle.
He better not have fucked it up.

It’s strangely intimate, spying on your children as they act like miniature adults. Niel is almost eighteen. I know that on that day you don’t automatically become an adult, that’s it’s a progression, but watching my son talk to his girlfriend like Marcus and I talk is eye-opening.

“I don’t like talking about that,” Ava whimpers, and the pain and agony piece me through the heart. My fingers find Marc’s in the dark and intertwine his seeking comfort.

“I know, baby, but it would help her. Her mom is a bad woman, just like your grandmother,” his soft voice takes the sting out of th
e words, but she still winces.

“I don’t want to tell her because she’s my only friend,” Ava sniffles. “I don’t want to see her look at me how everyone else does. You know what I mean, Niel. Everyone looks at you the same way, too- like we’re evil. Spyder looks at me like she’s my family and my best friend.”

“Hey! No! We are who we are, and it’s how we act that’s important. Ella and Priss love you, too.”

“I noticed you didn’t say Whitney,” Ava laughs and Niel gives a
husky chuckle from his chest.

“Ah… she’s just jealous,” he drawls.

“She’s the creepy one. Who crushes on their cousin?” she gives a pissy growl.

My eyes widen in the dark and my fingers tighten to the point of pain. Marc flexes his fingers to get me to back off because I’m hurting him.
Sonofabitch!

“Who could resist me,” he laughs in an intoxicating way- Grant’s devastating laugh that made me fall in love with him. No doubt it has the same effect on the fifteen-year-old girl.

“You’re so cocky,” she murmurs with affection.

“Ella and Priss love you, Ava. Don’t forget a
bout them,” he says seriously.

“They love me because of you,” she stresses. “Not because of
who I am. Spy and I just clicked. I wanted to be jealous that she’s really Pop’s kid, and not just adopted, but who could be angry with her. She’s so sweet, and I just can’t tell her that my dad raped my mom. It would kill me,” she sniffles again and I try to go comfort her but Marc pulls me back.