Page 172 of Viper

“All tied up at the moment,” Fallon says. He strides to the side of the bed, and the dim light from the table lamp flashes on. My face heats as he leans back, hands clasped behind him as he stares down at me. Assessing. “You’ve had quite the evening.”

I tuck the blanket up under my chin, my cheeks on fire.

“You have two choices, Delilah,” Fallon says, unclasping his hands to grip the blanket. I grasp it tighter, but he yanks it free, throwing it back. My fingers twist in the shirt and clasp it to my thighs, that fear he invokes, swirling through my gut. “You come with me willingly, or my sons suffer under the wrath of your poor decisions.”

“Those aren’t choices,” I spit out. “That’s a threat.”

He shrugs. “As long as you cooperate, my sons will remain unharmed.”

Molten heat fires in my veins. “How dare you say you love them, then threaten them at every turn?”

When the back of his hand connects with my face, my head snaps to the side, pain cracking across my cheek. I fall back from the force, tears stinging my eyes.

“Your mouth is wearing on me, Delilah,” Fallon hisses. “My sons have sacrificed the integrity of this mission for you. For that Julian whore.”

The fact they aren’t here, creates a sick panic. My heart thunders, eyes darting to the door. “Where are they?”

Fallon licks his lips and adjusts his black tie. Smooths down his black vest. He takes a step back, but it’s not far enough. Across the entire world wouldn’t be far enough.

“What did you do with them?” I ask, fear and anger winding up tightly in my chest. My eyes dart to my boots by the armoire. To my knife on the side table. Back to him. “Where are they?”

“My god,” he says, almost in awe. “You really do love them.” Unease coils inside me at how the words slip from him. Oily and gross. Like loving them is a sin. He makes a sound in his throat. “I have to admit I’m impressed with Reaper’s tactic.”

Tactic. As if what I feel for them is something planted in my head. Carved into me without my permission. That sliver of doubt tries to dig back under my skin, but I refuse to allow it to burrow.

He crouches beside the bed, and I resist the urge to kick him away. Kick in his fucking teeth. Grab my knife and stab him like I did 57.

“While I admit I don’t understand the workings of this dynamic, I have to say, I’ve never seen them so passionate about anything other than avenging my son’s death.” With one hand, he drags a finger along my knee. I jerk, my pulse racing. “I also understand Cora Julian is a part of this strange little…” He pauses, searching for the word. “Entourage.”

“Leave her out of this,” I snap, trying to slip away, but his hand clamps down on my knee. That same fear I felt in the garden snakes through me, all too aware of his nearness, how exposed and vulnerable I am. How much he hates me.

“Too late. Reaper dragged the girl into this, and now she’s as deeply involved as you.” He squeezes my knee, then stands upright. “Now. Let’s go.”

“Go?” I ask, my brows knitting.

Fallon’s lip curls into a cruel smirk. “Rune will take one look at you, and he’ll be beyond devastated.”

“You mean to send me back now?” I glance down at the shirt and smears of dirt along my legs. “You can’t send me back like this. He’ll think…” My voice fades as it dawns on me.

That’s exactly what he wants. For my father to think I’ve been used and broken. If Fallon sends me back like this, in this state, Rune will go insane.

“Did you plan this?” I ask, cracks forming in all the claims they made. I shake my head, refusing to let him place doubt in me again.

They love me.We may not have said the words, but I felt it in every claiming touch.

Fallon chuckles. “No, dear girl. But I know my sons. Nothing but heathens, full of sin and lust.” He hooks a finger under my chin, tilting my head back, and drags his thumb along my cheekbone where he struck me. “Delilah Gavin, his perfect daughter, reduced to nothing but a dirty, battered whore. Serves him right for refusing to save you the first time.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, my mind splintering in different directions.

“Look what his greed has done.” Fallon ignores me. Wiping at a tear. “You are ruined and disgraced. He’ll easily hand you over and sell your soul.”

Releasing me, he takes a step back, then snaps his fingers. Two soldiers appear in the doorway. My heart thrashes, and I scramble back onto the bed. I don’t recognize these two.

“Uh uh, Delilah,” Fallon says. “Remember what I said.”

I freeze, my heart nearly beating out of my chest. He’ll hurt them if I don’t cooperate.

“Where are they?” I ask again, choking on fear. “Did you hurt them?”