Scandal:The Complete Series(73)

“Jack gave me no choice,” he says. His voice is pleasant but his eyes tell a different story. I get a chill in my bones as I realize that Lucius is not happy that I’m here—not in the least.

“It’s only temporary,” I blurt out, lowering my gaze.

“I hope so,” he says. “This is no place for a young woman.”

“It’s not so bad,” I lie.

“How polite of you,” he says with a small, misplaced bow. “I want you to understand me. I sincerely wish that you and Jack could walk safely into the sunset. But you can’t forget what Jaxson Cole really is, Miss Wade.”

There is a hint of threat in his words and he doesn’t make the slightest attempt to hide it. Lucius Bernard is a powerful man who always gets his way. He has no desire to sugarcoat anything just because I’m weak and scared out of my wits right now.

He turns his back to me and walks to the small bar to get a drink. “There’s gin and vodka,” he says, messing with the bottles. “Some liqueur, too. What would please you?”

He seriously wants me to have alcohol right now? “I’d like for you to call me Ella and I’d like you to explain what you meant about Jaxson,” I say, tired of playing cat and mouse with him. My whole world has been turned upside down and I find it hard to pretend anymore.

“He’s been bred for the wild, Miss Wade. If cornered he is capable of immense violence to protect anything and anyone of value to him. For this, I am mostly to blame. And you, you are a very bright and lovely child of the suburbs. For lack of better words, together you are something of an unholy union   from which neither can survive.”

What an incredible load of crap. I can’t hold my tongue for one more second. “With all due respect, that’s maybe who you intended him to be, but Jaxson has risen above that destiny you made for him. He’s better than my father or you or any of your goon squad could ever be.”

Lucius lifts his glass as if making a toast. “On that, we can agree.”

I awkwardly raise the crystal tumbler he set in front of me and take a sip. Vodka. Gin. I shiver with the sudden bite of alcohol in my throat.

“You will find my words always reasonable and useful,” he says as he rises. “I am where I am at precisely because I can see how things will play out in advance. You would be wise to heed my advice. For yourself and for Jack. Good evening, Miss Wade.”

I lift my forehead and eyebrows as a lame farewell. I stand too dazed to form any words before he has disappeared. I plop down on the couch and cover my face with my hands. What the hell did I just do? Seeing that I’m dependent to his mercy, I could have at least been a little more diplomatic and artful with that conversation.

“You okay?”

I jump out of my skin at the sound of my father’s voice. The last thing I want is for him to witness this moment of weakness. I should have a more specific emotional reaction to the fact he’s back in my world but all I feel is numb in his presence.

I’ve missed him for so long that I’ve forgotten what it’s actually like to be with him. Through my childhood and teenage years and even as an adult, I’ve fantasized about the moment of our reunion  . I’ve come up with dozens of excuses for why he had to leave, from him having discovered he was dying of a rare disease to wanting to be a monk in Tibet. I have to admit, the real reason why never crossed my mind.

“I’m fine,” I say. “Other than the fact that I’m a prisoner.”

He sits next to me and I have to fight the urge to move. Come to think of it, Lucius felt less a stranger to me.

“I could apologize a million times and it wouldn’t make a difference,” he says. “I know that. You have every right to hate me.”

“I don’t hate you,” I say. It’s true. I don’t hate him. I don’t think I feel much of anything for him, good or bad.

“Things are going to work out, I will make sure of that.”

“You don’t have to worry about me. Jax would never let anything happen to me.” I say this to hurt him. I realize that with some delay.

He opens his mouth to say something but then changes his mind. He rests his hand on mine instead. His touch is gentle and I’m left staring at the hand, unsure of what it wants from me.

“You love Jaxson?” he says in the end.

“I do.” No further explanation is needed. Love is all encompassing and self-explanatory even for a gangster like him.

“Lucius has other plans for his nephew.” He says this simply but it sounds like yet another warning.

“What a surprise,” I say. “Isn’t that his thing, making plans for everyone? What about you? Do you think Jaxson and I are not a good fit?”