Scarlett blinked her eyes for a moment before grasping the reference to the fairytale. “And you’re the beast?” She arched a brow.
“If you like.” He shrugged. “But don’t expect a happy ending here, princess. After six months, I’ll be returning you to your father in exchange for the house, and I couldn’t care less what happens to you or the rest of the Terinis after that time.”
“Why did you agree to accept me in exchange for an extension?” Scarlett demanded, tossing her napkin on the table. “If it’s so important to you, why did you prolong things for another six months?”
His smile was hateful. “To see your father squirm. I rather enjoy the thought of him scrambling to come up with the cash and not having a prayer.”
“You’re a detestable man.” Scarlett shook her head. “Why would you want to hurt my family? We’ve done nothing to you. You’re taking business much too far.”
“Done nothing to me?” Carter repeated in a hard voice. “I could destroy all of your illusions about your father, Scarlett, with a few simple words.”
“I wouldn’t believe anything you told me.” He couldn’t say anything she didn’t already know. She had accepted her father’s mob ties and gambling problems years ago.
“Try this one,” he suggested. “Your father offered you to me as a virtual sex slave for cash. A lot of cash, assuring me you were surely worth it, since you had dated only approved boys. You might call it a virgin sacrifice,” he added in a husky voice.
Scarlett’s face flooded with heat, and she gasped in outrage. “That’s a damn lie,” she screamed, bringing Darren running into the breakfast room. “I hate you, Carter Braxton,” she cried and ran from the room, not acknowledging the pain in her ankle until she was halfway up the stairs. She pulled herself along using the banister, then collapsed on the bed into a sobbing heap.
After her ankle stopped throbbing, Scarlett called a taxi and arranged for them to meet her at the gate. She couldn’t stay in this house another minute, regardless of the stupid deal her father had struck with Braxton. After hanging up, she grabbed her jacket to ward off the light rain showers and left her room. No one saw her go down the stairs, and she made it out of the house without being noticed. Scarlett thought regretfully of the clothes and books she’d left behind, but the suitcase was just too heavy to lug with her injured ankle.
It was an unpleasant and painful walk to the gates. She found the taxi waiting for her, and the man looked impatient. “I’m sorry you had to wait,” she apologized, offering him a hundred dollars from the meager amount of spending money left in her wallet. “This should be enough to cover your wait, and a trip to San Francisco airport,” she said. The cabbie eagerly accepted the money and drove her into the city. He tried to chat with her a few times, but her answers were monosyllabic at best, and he gave up to her relief.
At the airport, Scarlett made her way inside and went to the nearest charter service. A flight she needed left in an hour, and she booked herself on it. The attendant ran her credit card through and frowned. “It was declined, miss,” she said with a sniff of disapproval.
“What?” Scarlett asked in shocked disbelief. Her father had given her that card two years ago, and she’d never had any problems with it before. “Is there a phone I can use?” She had be forced to leave even her cell phone behind so they couldn’t track her. Braxton surely had it tapped. But the card was her father’s, he wouldn’t find her with that.
The attendant returned her card, and Scarlett made her way to bank of payphones against the wall. She dialed the customer service number and waited on hold for a few minutes before a male voice answered. She explained the circumstances, and he looked up her account. “That card hasn’t had a payment for two months. You’ll need to get current or we’ll be forced to take further collection actions.”
“It’s my father’s card,” Scarlett said softly. “He just gave me one in my name.”
“You’ll need to have him call us, Ms. Terini.”
In a daze, Scarlett agreed and hung up. She was stranded at the airport. She sat on a chair and counted out her cash, realizing she shouldn’t have given the cab driver such an extravagant tip. She had enough to rent a car if they would allow her to pay cash.
She made her way to the rental car desk, and the clerk didn’t ask why she wanted to pay cash when she had a credit card. He just took an imprint of her card, a copy of her license, and called her insurance company to confirm she had coverage. After taking her payment, a younger boy came and took her out to the lot, handing her the keys to a sedan.
Scarlett found it nearly impossible to drive with the brace on and pulled over before leaving the city so she could remove it. Her ankle was still throbbing, but at least she could manage the pedals now. She drove on toward her home, wondering what sort of reception her father would give her. She’d never let him down before, and she’d never shirked her duties, but surely he would understand. He had to. It was his fault she was in this mess
Feeling tired and drained, Scarlett pulled into the drive of Terini Manor nearly three hours later. She was surprised to see catering vans parked around the side, before remembering today was Halloween. They always threw a lavish Halloween party, complete with decorations and resplendent costumes. Scarlett’s dress should still be hanging in her wardrobe.
She limped her way into the house and surprised Marcia into dropping a vase of flowers on the floor. The water soaked into the carpet, and the maid hastily bent down to dab at it. “Where’s my father?” Scarlett asked.
Marcia looked up. “He’s at the golf course, but your sisters are upstairs.”
Scarlett suddenly realized there was fear in Marcia’s tone when she spoke to her, and she was uncomfortable when she remembered Carter’s remarks.
She limped up the stairs, grimacing at the pain in her foot, and found her sisters in Lecy’s suite. They flocked around her. “Has he let you go?” Chrys asked as she hugged her sister. “Has he released you from that awful deal? Did Father take care of everything?”
“I left,” Scarlett said. “I couldn’t stand to be there another moment. He’s terrible, simply terrible. He’s cruel and abrasive, and he treats me like a pariah.”
Lecy patted her sister on the shoulder. “You did the right thing in coming home, sister. We’ve missed you so much.” She hugged Scarlett once more, and then said, “Perhaps you can help us with the caterer. We can’t understand a thing he says, and he just gets impatient with us.”
Sighing, Scarlett sank onto Lecy’s mattress, sprawling on her back. “I’ll do my best,” she promised around a yawn, “But first I need a nap. It was a long drive, and my ankle is hurting.”
“What did he do to you?” Chrys asked at the same time Lecy said, “Why didn’t you fly?”
Scarlett chose to answer Lecy first, “My card was declined.” She was almost amused at their looks of horror. “Either there’s been a billing error, or Father hasn’t paid the bill in two months.”
“No.” Lecy gasped. “It can’t be.”
Chrys burst into tears. “Are we poor now, Scarlett?”
Scarlett tilted her head, searching for a pillow, “We might be.” It didn’t matter much to her either way, though she would miss some of the advantages of being wealthy.
“If you go back to that man, will we be rich again?” Chrys asked, worriedly gnawing at her lip. She was older than Scarlett by a year, but she often turned to her for comfort, as Lecy was not the nurturing type. “I don’t want to be poor,” she wailed.
“Are you suggesting she go back to that monster?” Lecy demanded. “He’s already beaten her once. Is your comfort worth her sacrifice?”
Chrys cried harder. “I didn’t know he’d beaten her.”
“He didn’t beat me,” Scarlett interjected around her sister’s hysterics. “I fell in a stream and twisted my ankle. Carter had nothing to do with that.” Sitting up, she turned her attention to Chrys. “He is not giving Father money for me,” she correct
ed gently. “He’s only allowing Father an extension on their deal, so we won’t be rich again if I go back to him. Only Father can make that happen.”
“Of course you aren’t returning to that man,” Lecy said firmly. “It’s absolutely ridiculous.” She shook her head. “I won’t allow Father to send you back.”
Scarlett allowed their words to wash over her and lull her into sleep. Her last thought was of Carter, marching in to claim his property. His virgin sacrifice...her eyes blinked momentarily, but she was too tired to let that disturbing thought keep her awake.
She awoke to the sound of arguing and her heavy eyes slowly drifted open. “You can’t send her back, Father,” Lecy screeched.
“So you’re finally awake,” Rocco said grimly, leaning over Scarlett. “I hope you know what a precarious position you’ve placed us all in now.”
“I couldn’t stay there.” Her voice was more scratchy from her nap. “He was cruel to me, Father, and he tried to tell me lies about you.”
A peculiar change happened to Rocco at those words. His face paled, great beads of sweat popped out on his forehead, and his eyes bulged. He staggered back. “What’s he been telling you? None of it’s true.” He sounded half-hysterical. “It was all just business.”
Scarlett frowned. “All he said was...” She shot a look at Lecy and Chrys. “Well, never mind what he said. I knew it wasn’t true.”
“Has he harmed you?” Rocco asked after calming down a bit.
Shaking her head, Scarlett admitted, “He’s not laid a finger on me.” She blushed, remembering who had initiated the kiss. “Carter Braxton is not a nice man,” she said rather lamely.
“I realize that,” Rocco said dryly. “But you must go back. Call him and let him know you’re returning tonight.”
“It’s a three-hour drive, Father,” Lecy said. “The party...can’t she please stay tonight?”
Rocco ran a hand through his hair. “I suppose, if Carter will allow it.”
“I don’t want to go back.” Scarlett firmed her shoulders. “I refuse to go back.”
“Stop being so damn selfish,” Rocco snapped. “You do this for the good of your family, and don’t you forget that.”
“Just like you lost the company for the family?” Scarlett tossed out. “Did you do that for us, or was it for Mom?”
Rocco’s hand made a hard smacking sound as it connected with Scarlett’s cheek. Her head fell back, and the pain was intense.
“Never speak to me like that again. I am your father, and you will treat me with respect.”
Scarlett did not reply for a long moment as she clutched her burning cheek with her left hand. Finally she whispered, “Fine, I’ll go back. At least he has never hit me.”
His mouth tight, Rocco stormed from the room, and her sisters surrounded her. “I can’t believe Father did that.” Chrys wrung her hands. “Are you okay?”
“Hell no she’s not okay.” Lecy rolled her eyes. “Run to the kitchen and get her some ice before it swells.” As Chrys hurried from the room, she turned to Scarlett. “Your mask should cover any bruise that might form. You shouldn’t have said that,” she gently reprimanded.
“Leave me alone,” said Scarlett. “He doesn’t care that he’s sending me back into that beast’s home, and he doesn’t care about us at all. If he did, he would have done a better job with the company.”
Lecy clicked her tongue, not refuting her claims. “Still, he is our Father, and you must be respectful. Remember that Mom never raised her voice to him.”
“Isn’t that nice for her,” Scarlett snapped. “She must have been a saint to put up with him. I wonder if he ever hit Mom for disrespecting him?”
Lecy had no answer to offer, and the subject died when Chrys returned. Scarlett pressed the ice bag to her swelling cheek while the other two fluttered around, preparing for the party. “I think I’ll get an early start,” Scarlett said. “I can be back in San Francisco within a couple hours, so it shouldn’t be too dark.” The idea of attending the party held no appeal.
“No, you must come to the party,” Chrys insisted. “It won’t be the same without you.”
Seeing the pleading in her sister’s dark eyes, Scarlett gave in and went to her room to dress for the party. Instead of taking a shower or pulling the dress from the closet, she lay across the bed and swiped at the trickle of tears leaking from her eyes. She still couldn’t believe her father had hit her. Not once in twenty years could she ever remember him doing such a thing.
Forcing herself from the bed, Scarlett soaked in a tub full of hot water. Afterward, wrapped only in a towel, she called information and got Carter’s phone number. She dialed the house and Ann answered. “He’s not available right now, Ms. Terini. I believe he’s out.”
“Thank you, Ann.” She was relieved to avoid a conversation with him. “Will you please take a message? Tell him I’ll be back sometime tomorrow morning.” After hanging up, Scarlett went to her closet and opened the door, walking inside. The dress, styled after a sixteenth-century courtesan’s, with a daring neckline, sweeping skirt, and yards of lace, hung on a rod by itself. Once dressed, she curled her hair into fat ringlets and slipped on the ivory mask. It had been specially designed to match the handmade dress and Scarlett found herself wondering how much the costumes for his daughters had cost her father. Likely not even a fraction of what the party was costing him.
After slipping her feet into matching ivory slippers, Scarlett returned to Lecy’s room and found her sisters dressed and ready. Their styles and colors were all complimentary, and Scarlett couldn’t help but notice how striking the three of them were. She wore ivory, Lecy was in midnight blue, and Chrys had chosen black.
Presenting a united front, the three of them went downstairs and started greeting guests as they arrived. Everyone was dressed exquisitely, and expensively, in imaginative creations. In past years, Scarlett had always looked forward to the party and treasured the memories all year, but tonight she was bored. Her face and her ankle throbbed in unison, and she was tired of standing, walking, dancing, and making polite conversation. She just wanted to go to sleep and forget that tomorrow she was returning to Carter Braxton.
There was a stir of excitement among the guests as new people entered the ballroom. Curious despite herself, Scarlett craned her neck to see the new arrivals. Other guests blocked her view, and she politely pushed her way through until the new guests were visible.
He wore a tuxedo, and it fit him well. Since she had only ever seen him a suit, his tuxedo didn’t surprise her in the least. His piercing blue eyes found her and she couldn’t look away. He looked so sexy. Why did she run away?
Oh right, because he’s a liar and was terrible to her.
Scarlett tensed as Carter approached her, with no sign of Darren. “Carter,” she said nervously when he stopped in front of her.
“Scarlett,” he purred. “I’ve come to collect my property,” he whispered. “You or the house, it makes no difference,” he added in a cool tone.
“I was coming back tomorrow.” Scarlett stuttered.
Carter laughed, a rich sound, but there was a sharp edge to it. “I’m sure you were.”
“I left a message with Ann earlier in the evening. You can verify it with her.” Trying to keep a straight face, she said, “I only came for this party, and then I was returning. If I were leaving forever, don’t you think I would have taken my clothes, my possessions?”
Carter smiled down at her. “That’s a lie, but I’ll allow you to tell it. Next time you want to go somewhere, please ask the driver to take you.” He phrased it like a request, but they both knew better. “I don’t like coming to this cursed place to fetch you.”
“Shall we leave?” Scarlett asked, nervously licking her lips.
“A dance first,” Carter suggested.
“My ankle hurts.”
“I’ll carry us both.”
Having no further protests, Scarlett placed her hand in Carter’s and followed him
into the crowd of dancers. He grasped her waist tightly, nearly carrying her as they moved. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears at his touch. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind, though the heady scent of his cologne didn’t help clear her thoughts. She would not allow herself to become attracted to the man who was trying to ruin her father and her family.
Aside from the aspect of betrayal implied by her attraction, Scarlett knew it was a no-win situation. Carter would never believe she was truly attracted to him and would assume, as he’d done previously, that it was a plot to soften him up. He would become even more ruthless, and Scarlett would get hurt. I don’t even like him, she reminded herself forcefully and repeatedly until the music ended. “Now we’ll leave,” said Carter.
Scarlett followed meekly behind him, not even asking if she could change first. Before they left the ballroom, Lecy intercepted them. “Don’t hurt my sister,” she said in a low voice, pitched so the other guests would not hear.
“She’ll be perfectly safe.” Carter sounded bored.
Lecy snorted. “You’re a beast, Carter Braxton, and some day you’ll get what you deserve.”
Carter leaned forward, and his height dwarfed Lecy. “I’m counting on it, Ms. Terini,” he bit out. As Lecy’s eyes widened, he took a firm hold on Scarlett’s arm and pulled her out behind him.
In the town car, Scarlett sat on the seat across from Carter and stretched out her legs. “Where’s Darren?” she asked.
“In the front with the driver,” Carter said disinterestedly.
The mask pressed tightly against Scarlett’s face, and she removed it without thought.
The overhead light was on, and Carter gasped. “Who did this to you?”
Scarlett dropped her eyes and didn’t respond. “How did you know about the party?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“I called your home,” Carter dismissed. “Now, tell me his name. As if I can’t guess,” he added bitterly when she didn’t speak. “Did Terini give you that for returning home? Was it how he persuaded you to return to my place tomorrow?”
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