𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂 ❶

𝟑𝟖. ✭ 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈 ✭

Two days came and went faster than the blink of an eye. The fact that I'd been completely dreading seeing my father the main reason, not to mention seeing Torey by his side. I knew he'd be with him, do whatever he'd ask because that is his job; his part, as he says. His job behind the job.

The fact that he'd verbally confirmed sleeping with both of those women left the nastiest of tastes in my mouth. I suppose an unfair taste considering I'm with Brooks. It still doesn't change the fact I felt uneasy about it, jealousy had stirred in the pit of my stomach for any other woman allowed to touch him. It's stupid really, especially considering all the women I'd known he slept with prior to having a relationship with me. Then there was the fact he iterated he's a single man, that also sat with me in an interesting way. I know when I think about it logically it shouldn't, but it does. As much as I hate it to admit it, I understand Torey's possessiveness to an extent after that.

I look at my jaw in the mirror, the marks he'd left there are covered by my makeup. Torey's forceful grip on my face had left small bruises in its' wake. In that moment I could see him losing himself, he wasn't my Torey. My version of Torey wasn't the man I was beginning to be privy to. In the two years we'd been separated he'd become a much darker individual, allowing his arrogance and sarcasm to cover-up the person he was continuing to bury deep inside of himself.

I'd seen how Torey was with my father when I'd lived with him but I'd never seen it to this extent. The fact that he'd actually gotten physical with me made my guts churn. I caress my jaw remembering the horrified look in his eyes. That wasn't Torey. My Torey doesn't act like that. His words play in my head that once this is over we'd all be safe and I pray that he is right.

"You look so fucking sexy." My eyes flick up to Brooks reflection, his words pulling me out of my thoughts. He's sucking in his bottom lip as he looks me over. "I don't know if I want you going to this thing looking like that." He shakes his head like he's contemplating throwing me down on the mattress. "You ready to go?"

"No. But I suppose I have to be." I stand up and assess my appearance. I'm wearing a skin-tight Giorgio Armani dress, the color is darker than night itself. Malyssa had helped me pick it out, it was entirely sexier than anything I've ever worn. She said I needed to remind my father that I am not a child, that I am a grown woman.

I have a feeling the dress and color were partially for Torey himself, though. I look like the man's perfect counterpart to how he typically dressed in tailored head-to-toe black. Not to mention that my hair is back to its' onyx shade, my eyes blue, just like my mother's, and the way they're set right now is just like hers as well— hard and cold. Malyssa told me that Torey may be playing his part but I needed to play mine as well and right now I feel deadly and sexy; deadly sexy.

I lock my arm with Brooks whose suit hugs him in much the same fashion my dress is hugging me. He looks delicious. We make our way to the designated room, my heart thundering in my chest the entire time. I have to play it cool, have to play my part. I can't give anything away.

This must be how Torey feels every single day...

I know the room we're going to only because Torey is standing in front of it with his hands clasped. The moment our eyes lock I can see it— the lust. His eyes flicker down to our conjoined arms and I can see the next look— pure rage. He swallows and glances away from the two of us before meeting my gaze again. Everything that'd just been there is gone. He's gone. I hate it.

He opens the door and we enter the room to see my father there with two more of his men, Remy and Ram. They aren't armed because they can't be, but they stand off in the corners of the room glaring at Brooks and I. My father is sitting in a brown leather chair, our seats are directly across from him. There's two of them, one for each of us.