Magnate (Acquisition Series Book 2) (7 page)

Bad move
. Vinemont was already on a hair trigger. He lunged for Lucius, grabbing him by the neck as they fell in a heap on the floor. I stumbled backward and sat down hard.

With a guttural roar, Vinemont flexed his bloodied knuckles as he choked his brother.

Lucius gripped Vinemont’s hands and ripped one free before leaning up and head-butting him. Vinemont groaned at the impact and slammed Lucius back down, pressing harder with the one hand still at his brother’s throat. Lucius reared back with his right hand and aimed a fist at Vinemont’s jaw, the blow sending him crashing to the floor. Lucius jumped on top of his brother, both men slugging away.

I should have been happy. My plan was working. This was what I’d wanted—them tearing each other apart so that I could stand over their shredded remains. But as they fought, I wanted nothing more than for it to stop. The sickening thuds of fists on flesh, the blood, the grunts and anger.

I covered my ears. “Stop!” I didn’t realize I was capable of the scream that tore from my lungs.

Lucius held his fist ready to strike before pushing himself off Vinemont, landing with a heavy clunk that made the chandelier overhead rattle. Both men stayed put, breathing heavily and eyeing each other as if waiting for it to start again.

I heard footsteps on the staircase behind me, and then Teddy’s voice. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Lucius grinned and put his hand in the air, giving Teddy a thumbs up, though he didn’t take his eyes from Vinemont. “Everything’s fine, Teddy.”

“Fine.” Vinemont agreed and sat up.

“Sure. Right.” Teddy offered me his hand. “Nothing in this house is fine. Come on, Stella.”

I took it and he pulled me to my feet. I could feel two sets of eyes on my back the whole way up the staircase until I turned the corner toward my room.

“Are you okay? What was that about?” Teddy asked.

We hurried down the hallway and into my bedroom. I dropped down on my bed before digging the heels of my palms into my eyes. Teddy sat next to me and put his hand on my back, rubbing it gently.

“I’m okay. Thanks, Teddy. And that was about me. Well, actually, I think it was about me and Cal Oakman.”

Teddy blanched. “I hate that guy. Always have.”

“You and me both.”

He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me over so my head rested on his shoulder.

“Are we going to make it through all this, Stella?” He sounded tired, far beyond his years.

“Honestly? I don’t know. But I think your chances are a smidge better than mine.” I smiled weakly. “So there’s that.”

He rested his chin on top of my head. “I would have taken that whipping for you. If I’d known about it. Which I didn’t.”

His unexpected kindness was like a balm, though tears stung my eyes and I swallowed hard. “I wish you didn’t know about that. And I don’t think that’s how it works, anyway. But I appreciate the sentiment.”

He took a deep breath. “I wish a lot of things. I wish there was no Acquisition. I wish we weren’t here. I wish Laura and I could be together. I wish…”

“I know. I have my fair share of wishes, too.” A flash of images sparked through my mind—Mom, Dad, and the spider who haunted my waking moments along with my dreams. Wishes for each of them. Some good. Some bad.

We sat silently for long enough to hear Vinemont and Lucius go to their respective corners, and to hear Farns start cleaning up downstairs.

When Teddy left, I realized all three Vinemont men had made inroads into my heart.

And I cursed them for it.

Chapter Seven

Stella

Renee flitted about,
bobby pins hanging from her mouth and test smudges of eye shadow along the back of her hand. She had been working on me for over an hour, but it was obvious that getting ready for a fancy party was a bit out of her skill set. Still, she gave it her best—rolling my hair, curling my lashes, doing my makeup. I’d argued at first, told her I could do it myself. With a raised eyebrow and a shake of her head, she’d whisked me off to my room.

Now, I was as close to ready as I was going to get. She’d pinned the sides of my hair up, and the rest flowed down my back in red waves. My skin appeared luminous under the vanity lights.

She’d gone heavy on the dark brown eye shadow, but otherwise I was fine with everything. It didn’t matter to me. Not really. I didn’t want to impress anyone. Maybe I should have gone the dowdy route, made myself less appealing for the upcoming Christmas trial. Though I knew what they had planned for me wasn’t about sex. Not really. It was about violence. About taking something from me.

I took a deep breath and did my best to smile at Renee in the mirror. She tossed the last bobby pins on the counter and returned my smile. “I think I’ve done it. You look amazing. Maybe not as fabulous as you did for the ball, but you had professionals helping you…”

She let her words trail off when I dropped my gaze to my hands.

She placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up.”

I placed my hand over hers and met her dark eyes in the mirror once again. “It’s fine. It’s my life now, after all. And we’re sort of in this together, right? Just twenty years apart.”

“That’s exactly how I feel.” She sighed. “I know it’s you. I know you’re the one going through it, but I still feel it, you know? It’s like a wound that never fully healed. When you went to the ball, I knew I couldn’t save you, but I felt it as if I were there again, reliving it. Instead of a fresh pain, it was a dull ache. The emotions—they were the same. I-I felt it. I understand.”

If she still felt this pain, would I twenty years from now? Would I still be here, helping the next sacrificial lamb prepare to have its throat slit? I shuddered at the thought.
Never
.

“And there’s one more thing.” She pulled open the small drawer on the far left of the vanity and plucked out a syringe.

A ribbon of worry streaked through me. “What’s that for?”

“For you. It’s your usual prescription.” She wrinkled her brow. “To be effective, you need it now. Just in case… at the trial, you see…”

I studied the syringe and my eyes widened with recognition. Birth control. My last shot had been three months prior, so Renee was right on time. Vinemont had left no stone unturned, getting my medical information and keeping me in tip top shape for the Christmas trial. My eyes burned with angry tears.

“This is so twisted, Renee.” I balled my hands into fists, my fingernails digging into my palms. “So fucking twisted.”

“I’m sorry. I just—”

“No. It’s fine.” I fought the tears, not letting a single one drop. “Just do it.”

I offered my arm and she ripped open an alcohol wipe, cleaned a spot, and injected me. A slight sting and then nothing.
Now I’m protected
. I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry at the ridiculousness of the thought. I would never be protected, never be safe until I was free of the Acquisition.

She tossed the syringe into the waste basket. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” I shuddered at the thought of carrying a child as a result of the Christmas trial. “And thank you … For doing it for me, I mean.”

Renee kissed the crown of my head before laying her cheek against my hair for a few moments. I was surprised such a small gesture could impart so much solace. But by the time she straightened, I felt her warmth flowing through me like a mild transfusion.

She smiled big enough to almost convince me it was genuine. “Wait ‘til you see the gown I picked for you.”

“If it’s got feathers—” I grimaced. “—I’ll pass.”

She laughed and shook her head, her dark hair shining. “No feathers. Not this time. Come on.”

I followed her into my bedroom and stopped when I spied the dress she’d laid out on my bed. It was black with a plunging neckline. The hem would fall to my ankle, but the high slit would leave little to the imagination.

I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t think I can pull that off, Renee.”

Renee threw her hands on her hips. “Modesty is confidence’s ugly sister.”

I laughed. For a woman who’d I never seen in anything other than prim black and white, Renee surprised me.

She pushed me forward. “Put it on. I know it’ll be perfect.”

“Fine. For you. I’ll try it for you.” I shrugged out of my robe and trudged to my dresser for some underwear.

Renee cleared her throat. I turned to look at her over my shoulder. “What?”

She pointed to a thin piece of black material that I hadn’t noticed next to the dress.

“Is that a g-string?”

She smoothed her skirt. “Well, that dress clings, and you can’t have panty lines. Or you can go no panties if you like that better.”

I definitely did not like that better. I gave up my quest for comfortable cotton panties and pulled on the barely-there thong. My ass was totally exposed, but at least my pussy had some semblance of fabric over it.

“I’m guessing no bra, either?”

She shook her head and eyed her feet. “The back is open, so no.”

“Fine.” I lifted the dress and dropped it over my head. Renee was right, it clung as it slid down my body and settled. The front dipped low between my breasts in a draping cowl that thinned into spaghetti straps and tied at the top of my shoulders. The straps multiplied into three thin strips that flowed down my back and joined the sides at elbow level, leaving the rest of the back open almost down to my ass. The slit was so high that I was glad I chose to wear the panties.

“You are perfect.”

“I take it this isn’t a jeans and t-shirt event?” I snorted and walked to the full length mirror to get a better look. Renee had created a fashion plate in record time
.

“Never. You need to impress the Sovereign. Play to your strengths.”

“To help Vinemont?” I narrowed my eyes at her in the mirror. “I have to dress like a street walker to help my captor?”

“Yes.” Renee pushed my hair over my shoulder and perused my tattoo. “Though I never had a dress this nice when I was a working girl.”

That raised my eyebrows.

Renee shrugged and blushed. “I told you about my past, and I’m not proud of it. But I’m just saying that yes, you are being taken somewhere to be shown off as an Acquisition, but enjoy the little pleasures. That’s all. One day you won’t even have those. So—”

“Did you just tell me to
carpe diem
?” I turned and smiled at her, willing away her embarrassment.

“I did.” She smiled back, the clouds of memory giving way to the present. “Now let’s see about your shoes and, the best part, your jewels.”

She went into the closet and brought out a pair of velvet stilettos with red soles.

“I don’t know if I can manage those. Got anything with a shorter heel?”

“Nope. These are the ones.” She set them down in front of me and I stepped into them. They were almost impossible, but not quite. As long as I was on an even surface and not doing any running, I might survive.

“And these.” She practically pranced to a box on my dresser and flipped the lid before pulling out a dazzling necklace. An array of emeralds in an art deco layout. The jewels dangled from silver chains, with the center emerald hanging lower than the rest.

“Do the Vinemonts own all the choicest emeralds in the world or what?” I walked over to her and lifted my hair so she could fasten the priceless strand around my neck.

The earrings were similar threads of silver with an emerald dangling at the end. I put them in and smoothed my hair back down.

Renee clasped her hands in front of her. “This is going to help us. It has to.”

“Us?” I turned to her, searching her dark eyes for some clue as to what she meant. Obviously, I wasn’t in this to help the Vinemonts. I couldn’t care less who became Sovereign.

“Winning will help everyone, Stella. You included.”

I peered down at her. “Did winning help you? You’re still here, aren’t you? Are you living out your wildest dreams? Did things perk up after your lover was ruined by becoming Sovereign?”

She waved my comment away with an impatient flick of her wrist. “Rebecca was strong, but Mr. Sinclair is stronger. Even Lucius is stronger. When either one of them is Sovereign, there will be so much they can do for you, for their mother, for the family, for all of us.” She closed the jewel case, her fingers shaking slightly. “Now that we’re in the running, winning would be the best outcome. There’s no way around the trials. But if you win,” she turned, an iron glint in her eye that I’d never seen before, “and you’ve played your cards right, you have a great deal of power at your fingertips. Power to destroy the ones who hurt you.”

“Like the Roses?”

She nodded. “Like them and others.”

I’d meant it as a barb, but she wore the Roses’ destruction like a badge of honor.

“Have you destroyed people, Renee? The ones who tortured you most during the trials?”

She took my elbow. “We should get you downstairs. Mr. Sinclair will be antsy to leave.”

“Renee, you can’t just cut me off. I need to know.” I hadn’t actually considered the proposal Lucius made in Cuba—the power he would have after winning Sovereign. But Renee was echoing his sentiments: win, and then everything else will fall into place. Was Renee right? Was helping the Vinemonts win the surest route to destroy the entire game? Take it all down from the inside? Maybe, but it hadn’t worked for Renee.

“You need to go. You can’t be late for Cal’s party. That would be a bad start to your night.” Renee swept past me and opened the door before ushering me through it.

I’d been around her long enough to know that the discussion was tabled. She was practiced at evading my questions. I just wished I could break down her walls, see everything inside and leave with the spoils of information. It would never happen. Not with Renee. Whether she’d always been evasive or was forced to be so because of the Acquisition trials, I’d never know.

I maneuvered slowly down the stairs in my heels with Renee at my side. Once downstairs, I heard voices on the front porch. Lucius and Sinclair.

“Tell me all about it when you get back.” She pulled a long, dark fur from the foyer closet.

“Is that for me?” I didn’t do fur, but the coat glowed with an amazing luster and begged to be touched.

“I had it brought from the climate controlled storage this morning. It’s the sable.” She held it out.

“I’m not sure.” I ran my fingers down the front, each strand of fur silkier than the last.

“I am. Come on. It’s cold out there.”

I turned and slipped one arm and then the next into the coat. It was heavy and warm, the softest thing I’d ever felt. I studied my appearance in the foyer mirror. Even in the few months I’d been involved in this cruel game, my eyes seem to have hardened. Or maybe it was what was inside that had changed, grown stronger. I tilted my chin up the slightest bit, as if steeling myself for what was to come.

Renee swept my hair from the coat and draped it over my shoulder. “Everything will be fine. They won’t harm you between trials.”

“Do you know that for certain?” I opened the front door.

“Nothing is ever certain.” Renee gave me a wry smile.

With that cryptic bit of wisdom, I walked into the cold night. Vinemont and Lucius quieted as I approached, but a heavy tension roiled in the air.

“Stella—” Lucius began.

Vinemont turned and stepped in front of his brother before offering me his arm.

Both men wore clean black tuxes, expertly fitted. Lucius’s hair was tamed down in smooth waves while Vinemont’s was his usual dark and tousled perfection. Clean shaven lady killers. They were beautiful, each in their own way. Lucius sleek and refined. Vinemont rough, almost gritty, even though everything about him was polished.

Luke waited in the drive, the limousine competing with the inky black of night. I ignored Vinemont and gripped the stair rail, holding on for dear life while I clicked down each step in my stilettos. I let out a silent sigh of relief once I was on level ground again.

“Ms. Rousseau.” Luke tipped his hat and opened the back passenger door for me. I slid in, the fur moving across the leather like butter in a warm pan.

“Don’t fucking try it.” Vinemont’s voice wafted past the engine noise and he sank down next to me.

Lucius took the front passenger seat once again, turning and giving me a winning smile. “You are fucking gorgeous.”

Even though I knew it was a trick, just words, I couldn’t stop the heat in my cheeks. “Thank you.”