by Kiera Silver
As he passed by, the tray tipped in his hand, deliberately knocking half-filled glasses off of it onto both of them. Ice rained down on her, along with the cold splash of liquid from someone’s half-finished beverage, and she gasped from shock, but it didn’t really faze her.
She took advantage of Victor’s cursing and jerking away to slide out from under his blockading arm and rush up the stairs. She heard him yelling at the waiter as she ran toward her room, and she felt bad for the young man taking the brunt of Victor’s anger, but she was eternally grateful he had helped her in the situation. Otherwise, she wasn’t certain what Victor would have done.
She had barely reached her room and closed the door behind her when there was a knock. She froze, certain it had to be Victor. There was no way he was gaining entry. She ignored the knock for a moment, and it came again, but she still made no move to open the door.
“Sophia, I know you’re in there. Open the door please.”
Recognizing her grandfather’s voice, she moved slowly to the door, opening it cautiously to ensure Victor wasn’t with him before she allowed her grandfather entry. When she closed the door behind him, she had to resist the urge to lock it to keep Victor from entering unannounced. Instead, she just leaned against the door in what she hoped was a casual manner.
“What an uproar. Some clumsy waiter spilled an entire tray of drinks all over Victor.”
“And me,” she added softly. “I was there, and I asked for help.”
Her grandfather looked confused. “I’m sure Victor would have helped you.”
She shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. “No, I asked the waiter for help. Victor was attacking me when he came by. If it hadn’t been for him, I have no idea what your future business partner would have done to me.”
Her grandfather seemed unperturbed by the news. “I doubt he would have taken things too far in a public hallway, at least with all the people in the house.”
She stared at him, suddenly certain he wasn’t really her grandfather. She knew they were biologically connected by the woman who had given birth to her, whom she’d never met, because Elisa had died during the birthing. That seemed to be the only connection they shared, and she abruptly felt like a fool for trying to pursue a deeper familial link with this man and the rest of the Thorne family, turning her back on the Morettis in the process. “I’m not marrying him. I can’t believe you were just going to spring the announcement on me in the middle of the party. Did you really think I would go along with it to avoid making a scene?”
“Yes, I expected you to do your duty.”
She frowned at him. “My duty?”
“We’re family, Sophia, and that means we take care of each other. Sometimes, we have to sacrifice our happiness for the others. I fully expected you to understand that and do what was required to ensure the company’s stability, which in turn supports the family.”
“How can you ask me to marry a man I barely know, and I dislike intensely? He just attacked me in the hallway, for goodness sake.”
“I’m certain it was just a brief sample in anticipation of the wedding night.”
She didn’t know if he was oblivious or just such a chauvinist that he found Victor’s behavior acceptable. “If I don’t marry him?”
Thaddeus sighed. “I’m sure it’s no secret I’ve had my reservations about you from the start. You’ve been raised by the Morettis, and you know there’s no love lost there. I never wanted Elisa to marry Marco. It was clear as day to me that he was still in love with his ex-wife, and Elisa was just a substitute. I don’t think he was unkind to her, but he didn’t love her the way he needed to. He also rejected any attempts I made at getting him to invest capital in Thorne industries.”
Through her new perspective, she could see the real Thaddeus, and she knew that was the part that had irked him the most. He likely hadn’t cared overly much that his daughter had entered a loveless marriage, but that her father would deny Thorne Industries funds to grow would have been the ultimate insult and cinched Thorne’s dislike.
Her grandfather continued when she didn’t respond. “Your cousins convinced me to give you a chance to prove you haven’t been ruined by the Morettis. They wanted you to be part of the family, and I confess I did too. You don’t look a thing like your mother, but you have some of her mannerisms, and I’ve enjoyed having you around.
“I do hope you avoided getting her streak of stubbornness though. She was going to marry Marco Moretti with or without my blessing. I’m telling you now, I bless the union with Victor Croft. I expect you to do your duty by the family, and if you don’t, it’s obvious you aren’t our family. It takes more than a biological connection to make a family.”
She nodded, completely agreeing with that. “Thank you for clarifying things, Grandfather.”
He nodded, looking satisfied. He straightened his tie as he moved to the door. “Get yourself changed then, and we’ll make the announcement as soon as you’re downstairs again.”
She nodded as she opened the door, stepping aside so he could get through it before closing it behind him. She engaged the lock as soon as he was gone, trying to suppress the tears pushing behind her eyes.
She moved toward the closet, unzipping the dress and tossing it on the floor as she did so. She had just a suitcase worth of items she’d brought with her, only intending to stay a few days when her grandfather had insisted. It was ridiculous in a way, because she had her own apartment in the city, but it was a ninety-minute drive to their property, and it had seemed like a good idea to come stay with them when he’d made the suggestion.
Three of her cousins also lived in the house, along with an aunt she hadn’t seen much, because the other woman was often ill. Or maybe she just didn’t want anything to do with Sophia either. She considered that for the first time, and it hurt, but not as much as she would have anticipated. Her cousins had been nice to her, but they had taken their cue from Thaddeus, and it was clear they didn’t fully embrace her as family just yet. She wondered if they had all been waiting for her to pass this test before accepting her into the fold.
She bypassed all the party dresses, instead going to the casual clothing on the hanger. She selected a pair of skinny jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, slipping them on quickly. They were both black, and she felt a bit like a burglar as she stuffed her hair into a black beret and grabbed her wallet.
She didn’t bother to take anything else, not wanting to be too conspicuous about the fact she was leaving for good. They were just clothes and cosmetics, and she could replace them easily enough. She knew after she left tonight, she certainly wouldn’t have a chance to retrieve them. Thaddeus had made it clear that if she didn’t marry Victor, she was out of the family. As much as she longed to reconnect with her birth mother’s family, she couldn’t even briefly entertain the idea of marrying that disgusting pig. If she had to take Victor as part of the deal to become a Thorne, she’d rather let this side of the family be dead to her.
She left her room quietly and carefully. After ensuring no one was waiting for her, like Victor, she crept down the stairs. Instead of heading back toward the party, she went in the direction of the kitchen, which had a back entrance used by the caterers. She moved through the bustling kitchen, careful to stay out of anyone’s way. She didn’t want them to get in trouble, and she was concerned the waiter had already been fired for helping her.
She stepped out of the kitchen and through the back entrance, moving around the side of the house. She grunted when she collided with a solid presence, looking up and meeting the gaze of the waiter who’d been her rescuer. She smiled at him before her expression changed as concern swept over her. “Did you get fired?”
He nodded.
She put a hand on his shoulder without thought. “I’m so sorry. I know you were helping me, and I didn’t intend for you to lose your job.”
He shrugged. “It’s just a job. I can find another.” His deep voice was full of confidence, and he appe
ared carefree about the loss of the job.
She squeezed his shoulder. “I still thank you. If it hadn’t been for you, I have no idea…” She trailed off, not finishing the thought as she shivered.
After blinking, she asked, “Would you give me a ride? I know you’ve already helped me so much, and it cost you your position, but I have no transportation, and I really have to get out of here.”
He seemed surprised. “Isn’t this your engagement party?”
She gasped. “I guess they told everyone but me.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She waved a hand. “Never mind. I just need to get out of here, so can you give me a ride? I can pay you.”
Before he could answer, there was a disturbance behind them. She turned in time to see two men in dark suits rushing toward them. Behind them, Victor stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest as he glared at her.
“I have to get out of here now. Are you going to help me?”
Without another word, the ex-waiter took her hand and started running with her, leading her down the long driveway, packed with cars parked by the valets on duty until they reached the valet station, the men right behind them.
The man who was running the valet service came over to greet them, his gaze moving over their shoulders to the men running behind them. “What’s going on, Euan?”
“We need to get her out of here right now, Connor.”
Whoever he was, he obviously knew the waiter, and he didn’t argue. He held up a pair of keys, looking like he’d been in the process of parking the elegant sports car waiting with its door open. “We’ll just borrow this, shall we?”
She knew it was a bad idea, but she was desperate to escape. She slid into the backseat, since she was the smallest of the three of them and could fit in easiest in the almost nonexistent space. The two men hopped into the front, with the one identified as Connor starting the engine and pulling away with the squeal of rubber on asphalt.
He drove like an Indy 500 competitor as he made several twists and turns on the road. She glanced behind her, alarmed when she saw headlights from an SUV approaching quickly in the twilight. She let out a little whimper and fastened her seatbelt with shaking hands as the car turned a corner so sharply she was almost surprised they didn’t tip onto two wheels. Unfortunately, the SUV seemed to keep pace, at least for the first couple of miles.
Connor drove with obvious skill and confidence, zooming through the streets at least twenty-five miles over the speed limit, soon shaking off the SUV that had been tailing them.
She breathed a sigh of relief when he pulled in to a parking lot a few minutes later. “Did we lose them?”
Connor nodded, his eyes meeting hers in the rearview mirror. “They’re somewhere back there in the dust.”
It was another inappropriate moment to notice his eyes were similar to Euan’s, green with gold and brown flecks, and though his hair was rich black, she realized they shared similar bone structure. They must be related, either brothers or cousins, perhaps. Guilt suddenly swept through her. “I’m so sorry. I got you both fired tonight.” She clamped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, they’re going to arrest you for stealing the car. I’ll do my best to make sure you don’t get in trouble.”
Connor seemed unconcerned. “We’re just going to leave it here, and it’s no worse for the wear. They’ll get their car back, and they won’t be able to find me or my brother.” He sounded confident in that.
She hoped he was right as she nodded. They exited the car first, and Euan offered her a hand when she started to slip out of the backseat. She took it, clinging gratefully for a moment longer than necessary once her feet were on the parking lot. She gave him a shaky smile. “You have no idea how grateful I am to both of you for rescuing me.”
Connor lifted an eyebrow as he came closer. “Rescuing?”
Euan and Connor exchanged a glance. “I’ll explain it all later,” said Euan.
Connor nodded just once, apparently accepting his brother at his word.
She reached for her wallet. “I don’t have much cash, but I’ll happily give you what I have. I really appreciate the help.”
“Keep your money, princess,” said Connor, his voice edging toward disdainful. “You can’t buy your way out of this.”
She glared at him. “I’m not trying to buy my way out of anything. I was simply trying to express some gratitude. If you don’t want the money, that’s fine. Once again, thank you for your help.” She turned away from them, intent on finding a quiet place she could hide long enough to call her brothers. Any of the three would immediately drop what they were doing and come pick her up.
She felt like an idiot for having completely turned her back on her parents, and for having distanced herself from her brothers. She’d ignored the triplets’ gentle admonishments and entreaties to make up with their mother, because she’d been determined to connect with the Thorne family, and she’d still felt raw and betrayed at discovering the woman she thought was her mother wasn’t really her mother at all.
She froze when Euan put a hand on her shoulder, turning to look at him. “Yes?”
“Why don’t you come with us? We have a safe place, and I don’t want you to wander around this neighborhood alone.”
She looked around with fresh eyes, realizing they weren’t in the best location. Once again, she was grateful to her rescuer, and she nodded as she fell into step with him. She ignored Connor though, still stinging at his dismissal of the money she’d offered. She wasn’t upset because he hadn’t taken the cash, but because he treated her like she was a spoiled rich girl used to throwing money around to solve her problems.
She shifted slightly uncomfortably in her sneakers, realizing that might be at least partially true. She didn’t usually have problems, at least until the last eighteen months, but she was comfortable flashing the gold card her father had given her, even though she was estranged from them, and she was humbled to realize she probably would have thought money could solve any problem until this one arose. She still wasn’t going to apologize to him, because he was the one who’d been a rude ass, even if his conjecture was partially true.
They walked for several blocks, and she was soon turned around and completely lost. It was as though they were deliberately circling back multiple times, along with making random turns. She figured they were trying to ensure no one else followed them, but it also meant she had no idea how to get back to the parking lot, or even where she was.
Eventually, they led her to a small house that looked as rundown as the rest of the neighborhood. Connor used a key to open the door, and they all stepped through the entryway. Once inside, he closed the door behind him, engaging the locks. She was surprised to see the sophisticated biometric scanner on the front door of the older house, but apparently these guys took security seriously. She cleared her throat, looking at Euan. “Where’s your restroom?”
“I’ll show you.”
She followed him down the hall, past the living room, and into the first room on the left. He flicked on the light for her and stepped back, closing the door behind himself as he left. The room was on the small side, with older furnishings and a freestanding claw tub that looked like it could have come from the last century. Everything was clean and in good shape, and she was reassured to know she wasn’t going to fall through the floorboards as she stepped closer to the toilet.
After doing her business and washing her face, along with her hands, she used the hand towel to dry herself. As she rubbed it over her face to remove the moisture from the water she’d splashed on it, she caught a faint masculine scent, and it made her stomach clench. She wasn’t certain if it was Euan or Connor’s scent, or a combination of the two, but it was appealing, and her nipples beaded in her bra.
She looked down, embarrassed to see the long-sleeved T-shirt she’d chosen did nothing to hide the sudden proof of her arousal. Abruptly, she returned the hand towel to the ring and spent a moment pressing her arms
against her breasts, trying to force her nipples to soften. It didn’t really work, so she just pulled out the shirt as much as she could to hide the evidence as she left the bathroom.
They were both in the living room, just standing there as though waiting for her. She smiled at them, trying to show her thanks. “You guys have really helped me out. I appreciate it. I’m going to call my brothers to come pick me up, but if there’s anything I can do for you to repay you, please let me know.”
Connor came closer to her, holding out his hand. “We need your phone, princess.”
She frowned at him. “You don’t have one?”
He laughed. “Of course I have one. This isn’t the Third World. I just need yours.”
A hint of apprehension swept through her. “Why do you need my phone? Are you out of minutes?”
Connor laughed again, but it was edged with bitterness. “You just assume I’m on a prepaid plan? What, you don’t think I have good enough credit to get a real phone service?”
She took a step back. “I didn’t mean it that way. I was just trying to figure out why you’d want my phone when you have your own.”
“That’s simple. I don’t want you calling your brothers.”
She frowned at him before looking at Euan, hoping for some support or clarification. “But I need my brothers to pick me up. Any of the three will do it.”
Euan looked almost regretful when he shook his head. “I’m afraid you can’t do that, Sophia.”
She was starting to get irritated, and she crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at both of them. “And why not? What’s it to you?”
“You can’t call your brothers because you aren’t going anywhere. You’re our hostage,” said Connor, moving a step closer toward her in a menacing fashion as he wiggled his fingers in unspoken demand for her phone. “You aren’t going anywhere, Sophia.”
Buy HOSTILE TAKEOVER here, or read it for free on Kindle Unlimited
Also by Kiera Silver
