Page 55 of Firethorne

“Who?” Damien asked.

“My father.”

His responding laugh made me even angrier, and he shook his head to tell me ‘no’, then added, “It’s just us. Just you and me. Your father isn’t coming. Your father doesn’t care.”

“Yes, he does,” I hissed. “I won’t listen to your poison. I know what you’re trying to do.”

“To save you?” he answered in his cocky manner.

“To brainwash me.”

Another wicked laugh and then he said, “I don’t need to brainwash you, Maya. Your father did a good enough job of that.”

“Fuck you,” I snapped.

“Yes, you already said that,” he replied plainly. “But maybe you should start asking yourself why I brought you here.”

I wasn’t going to fall into his trap or play his mind games.

“Your father sexually assaulted me,” I blurted out.

And his eyes widened, the muscles of his jaws twitching as he asked in a hushed tone, “He raped you?” The cockiness had gone now, replaced by seriousness and sincerity, or at least, that’s what it seemed.

“No. But a doctor was in the room, and they examined me... there. He assaulted me to check that I was still a...” I didn’t want to say the word, but as he nodded and looked at the floor, I knew he knew what I meant.

“That was my fault,” he said, and I waited for him to elaborate. “If he hadn’t seen us at the party... if he didn’t think that I’d...” He couldn’t speak the words either. “He wouldn’t have done that if I hadn’t touched you.”

“It’s a bit late to be remorseful,” I snapped. “The damage has been done. By you.”

He lifted his head defiantly, a fire burning in his eyes as he said, “I own my mistakes, Maya. At the party, I had a moment of weakness. But it doesn’t change the fact that I saved you.”

“Saved me?” I couldn’t believe how he was trying to spin this. And I really wished he’d stop fucking lying. “How the fuck did you save me?”

He took a step closer to me.

“Well, I didn’t see your father burning down the world to save you. Or Lysander. How much help was he when you needed him?” He took a moment, then said, “All this time you never stopped to ask yourself why you were there.”

“I did,” I argued back.

“No.” He shook his head. “You really didn’t. And now you’re here, arguing with me, getting pissed at me. But I’m not the one you should be angry with, Maya.”

“I’m angry with all of you,” I barked.

“Then tell me why,” he pushed. “What was going on? Why the fuck did I have to bring you here? Use your anger, Maya. Get the truth you need.”

“Your father sold me,” I hissed.

“Yes... go on,” he urged.

“He took a video of the examination and said he was sending the proof to Edward. He sold me and then you drugged and kidnapped me.”

He took another step, getting even closer.

“He needed to prove you were a virgin because he got more money for you if you were. I took you because time was fucking running out. But in all that time, tell me, Maya, did you never wonder what your father’s role was in all this?”

“My father tried to talk to him. He tried to help me, but they kept him away.”

Damien threw his head back in exasperation.