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I crouch, grabbing him by the lapel of his jacket and forcing his head up. “Try it,” I warn. “I think you’ll find that when you push someone to the point where they have nothing to lose, you won’t like what they’re capable of. Do you want to see what I’m capable of, Alexander?”

For the first time in my entire life, there is a flash of fear in the old man’s eyes. For the first time ever—Idon’tfeel fear when I look into them. He’s just a man, I realize. Just an evil old man with more power than he deserves.

“I’m going to make sure you never touch her again,” I tell him resolutely. “I don’t care what it takes. And if you do, if you put one hand on her, if you so much as mess up her fucking hair—I will kill you. Do you understand me?”

“You can’t threaten me—”

“I just did,” I seethe. “Nothing to lose, remember? But go ahead, call the police. I’ll have plenty to say about you if they want to talk.Plentyto say.”

Again there is that flicker of alarm in the depths of his blue eyes, his pupils dilating and his throat bobbing with a swallow. I swipe my bloody knuckles on his suit jacket, standing to my full height and turning to point a finger at Lorenzo.

“If I ever hear you insult my mother again, I’ll extend you the same warning.”

Lorenzo grits his teeth. “You cannot—”

“Again,” I tell him calmly. “I just did.”

I straighten my suit, taking a deep breath and blowing it out, feeling lighter than I have in years. I step over Alexander’scrumpled figure, moving toward the door. I pause just before I open it, turning back to him one last time.

“Oh, and one more thing,” I call, my mouth splitting into a grin. “I quit.”

Alexander starts yelling again as I shut the door, but I’m over it. Closing the door on his bloody, irate form feels like closing the door on a part of my life that I’ve long yearned to escape from.

I feel…free. For maybe the first time.

I’m still smiling as I start moving back through the halls, only slowing when I catch sight of Lorenzo’s mistress in the foyer talking to his assistant. I frown as I watch them embrace, thinking that it’s weird that they would be so close.

But that’s not my problem anymore, I suppose.

I ride back down the elevators in a completely different mood than I rode up in. But I have another stop to make.

•••

If I neverhave to come back to this house again, it will be too soon. I stare up at the massive structure where I spent my childhood, the elegant details and expensive features a point of envy to anyone who wouldn’t know any better. No one could know just looking at it what sort of hell lurks inside.

I push open the heavy French doors without knocking, stepping into the foyer and calling my mother’s name. Rita appears from the kitchen to give me a puzzled look, but I ignore her, calling for my mother again. I hear her voice faintly from the direction of her library, and I stomp toward it in a rush, only letting out the breath I’m holding when I find her sitting in her favorite chair, looking at me quizzically.

“Ezra?”

I cross the space in just a few short steps, falling to my knees and wrapping my arms around her waist to hug her tight.

“Ezra?” Her hand falls to my hair, stroking her fingers through it. “What’s wrong?”

“I want you to leave with me, Mom,” I whisper.

“Darling, what are you talking about? You know I can’t—”

“I hit him.”

“Him? Who?”

“Alexander,” I tell her. “I hit him. I think I might have broken his nose.” I pull back, tilting my head up to meet her eyes. “I told him if he ever touched you again, I would kill him. I don’t regret it either.”

My mother’s mouth parts in surprise, a myriad of emotions flickering across her face one after the other. “Ezra…you shouldn’t have done that.”

I shut my eyes tight, feeling stung by her soft admonition. “Mom, he’s horrible. I can’t just sit here and let him use you anymore. Because that’s what he’s doing, don’t you see that? He’susingyou. Using us both. That’s all we are to him. Pawns. That’s allanyoneis to him.”

My mother is quiet for several seconds, her eyes becoming glassy and her lips quivering. “I know you must think I’m weak,” she admits. “For being so placid for so long.”