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These situations were the only times that I ever cracked, ever broke my professionalism, and those who had been at the hospital for a long time knew it.

It also made it a bit odd that Tommy really hadn’t known anything about my family background. Then again, it was our security normally involved, and they were under my department… And kept their mouths shut.

“Youare the whore to these vile men,” I hissed at her. “You are the one that wasboughtand their mates are the ones they love. You think you’re the matriarch and the respected one, but we all know the truth. You were bought like the broodmare you are and—” I caught her hand when she went to slap me and backhanded her instead.

And my hit had her landing hard on the floor.

“I will sue you and this hospital for all you have,” the man threatened. “I want my wife and daughter right now and we’re leaving to—”

I snorted, meeting his gaze. “Go ahead and try.” I pointed to all of the cameras around us. Then I pulled out his wife’s phone and played the recording she told me about first. It was his mother hysterically screaming that it was his wife’s fault for falling down the stairs and she’d kill them both if she called for help.

The bile that came out of her mouth and was recorded made people go pale around us.

The man just got annoyed.

“Shut it off,” he finally snapped.

“Sure, I have something better,” I purred and played her a recording of one of their conversations where she tried to tell him that his mother was abusing her and their daughter.

“That was illegally recorded in my home and—” he started to interject and tried to reach for the phone.

Two security guards stopped him and gave him looks not to be stupid.

“Yourhome, huh?” I chuckled. “I’m very sure it’s the law that she can record anyone inherhome that she wants especially when she feels unsafe and is collecting evidence to leave you.” I nodded when he froze. “She was getting ready to leave you. She needed evidence that you were complicit so it didn’t go to court and you could play the clueless victim.”

“I had no idea Mother was abusing her,” he snapped.

I smirked at his mother. “Look how fast your beloved son turned on you when it’s to save his own ass.” I focused back on the son. “Don’t worry, you’re in just as much trouble.”

He snorted at me. “I never touched her. You don’t know what you’re talking about, and if she’s saying otherwise—she can leave, but my daughter will stay with me and—”

“So you can sell her?” I roared, and someone from security had to stop me from moving closer to him. “No, this ends. The disgusting cycle of this family is broken and you’re going toprison, you monster. You will never—”

“Forwhat?” he bellowed, security having to hold him back as well.

I wiggled the phone at him. “You knew she was sold.” I smirked when he stopped fighting. “She wasn’t allowed to leave her house after she told her parents she wouldn’t marry you. That’s false imprisonment and more.And you knew that. She has you recorded saying you not only knew but that her parents wouldkill herif she didn’t mate you.

“You were an accessory to all of it. You didn’t report it like otherhonorablemen have who freed their forcedmates. And there is no statute of limitations on this. On any continent.” I beamed at him. “And how long has this been a law for? Howmany years?” I smiled even wider when he ground his jaw. “Over fifty years, right? That’s your mating—sorry, marriage.”

I waved at the police who had arrived, signaling that we were the ones who wanted them. I explained the situation, but apparently the younger rookie with them wasn’t well-versed in vampire everything.

“Wait, isn’t she a victim as well since they didn’t report she was sold as well?” he asked, glancing from me to the mother-in-law with worry in his eyes. He winced when the other officers gave him a look to shut up.

“He’s a warlock,” I reminded everyone there, deciding to explain it to the pup. “She was. She was a victim up until the moment she became part of the cycle and abused her daughter-in-law. She had the ability to report her own sale and then the buying of her daughter-in-law, but she didn’t. Instead, she abused the woman and her granddaughter. She’s not the victim.”

He nodded but then shot the woman a long look, swallowing loudly. “Villains really are made, not born.”

I nodded. “I mean, some evil is born or just born wrong but yes, monsters are made. But that was her choice and weakness. Lots get out and save others.” I met the woman’s irate gaze. “I’ve metmanywho helped their daughters-in-law escape.” I nodded when she couldn’t hide her shock. “And those daughters-in-law went back for them when they could.”

My last parting words to the husband were to wish him luck on his time in prison and being trapped just like he’d let his wife be. That even criminals didn’t like vampires who bought women, so he would have fun there.

He finally looked more than mad or annoyed.

Good.

I knew the patriarch of the family would stick his head out and make trouble, but I really wouldn’t have guessed he’d do it in such a stupid way.

“Let’s have a chat, Ms. Reed,” a man said from the vehicle that pulled up next to me as I was walking across the hospital’s campus to the parking garage.