Present Day…
Delaney scoffed softly, a quiet, bitter sound escaping her lips. The pieces of the puzzle fell together with terrifying speed.
"So that was why Aunt Eunice was quiet and well-behaved," Delaney thought to herself, her mind racing. "She had not learned her lesson. She had not been humbled by Uncle Cole locking her in her room. She had already called for reinforcement and was silently waiting."
Eunice had known she could not fight Delaney alone, not with Cole suddenly protecting his niece for the sake of Lord Hawksley's money. So, Eunice had written a secret letter. She had summoned the true monster of the family back to the country estate.
Lucas stood in front of Delaney. He did not rush forward. He moved with the slow, deliberate grace of a predator who knew his prey was entirely trapped in the room. He stepped off the bottom stair and walked slowly across the polished marble floor. His dark leather boots made a sharp, echoing click with every step.
