Cade’s head lolled towards his shoulder as he panted.
“You can make all of this stop, Cade.”
He was spent. Every breath he took agitated the seared skin on his chest. But he still held out. Cade could tell that his father was getting desperate. That was good. The longer he was focused on getting information out of Cade, the more time Deianira had to get out of the palace.
“Have it your way.”
Drake removed a serrated knife from the set on the counter and approached him. He could only heave as Drake drew closer.
The first time, he wasn’t sure if his father would go through with it. He knew he was sick but he foolishly thought that there was a line that Drake wouldn’t cross. Well, he was sadly mistaken. Even in his condition, he strived to keep his head up, to look at the man who fathered him.
Positioning the point at Cade’s collarbone, he pressed down and dragged the blade down his chest, uncaring of the other wounds.
Cade squirmed and grunted, did his best not to cry out. He just kept his focus on the counter next to the stove. It was where he and Deianira had been sitting the night before the ball. They’d talked, joked, and drank. She’s so beautiful. He replayed that night in his head again and again. It was the only thing he could hold onto.
As he writhed, Drake angled the knife on its point and pushed in an inch causing an animalistic groan to pass his bloodied lips. Through the buzzing in his ears, Cade caught a small laugh before the knife went further. This time, he couldn’t stop the gurgled cry that broke free. Drake pulled back the knife.
Cade wheezed as the cool air brushed his open flesh.
As he tossed the bloody knife onto the counter, Drake whirled on him with a punch to the gut. He immediately fell forward as his stomach turned. A few ribs had cracked on his father’s third attempt to get him to talk and each hit was beginning to decrease in pain. He was going numb. That’s not good. Blood and bile crawled up Cade’s throat and spilled past his lips.
Drake jumped backward and cringed.
“Well, that’s just nasty.”
They’d been at this for over an hour. Cade had a feeling that his father knew he wouldn’t tell him anything, knew that he didn’t know where she was. That he just wanted to punish him, make him suffer. The possibility wasn’t unrealistic. Drake was a twisted man.
“Are you still holding to your vow of silence?” he asked as he wiped the sleeve of his jacket with a cloth.
Cade spat out the remaining blood in his mouth and pushed his facial muscles to pry open his swollen eyes and glare at his father. He was clearly enjoying this.
Not that it would’ve been an excuse, but Cade wasn’t a bad child. He didn’t misbehave, didn’t talk back, did everything he was told. But it was never enough for Drake. There was always something he wasn’t doing right. Cade would’ve liked to be able to say that he didn’t care at all, but he did. He just wanted to know what he’d ever done.
Drake sighed. “I will kill her either way. If I really wanted to, we could just blow this place up with her inside.” He leaned in again. “I’m trying to give you an out. To save your life despite all the trouble you’ve caused. Will you work with me?” he asked politely.
Cade’s chest heaved with anger, with rage. He was going to kill Drake. One day, he’d kill him.
The sympathy drained from Drake’s face. “Well, shit,” he huffed. “I’ve tried just about everything. Maybe, I’m just not that convincing.” Cade continued glaring as his father nodded to the enforcers. “Follow me.”
At that, they all trailed after him as he pushed through the kitchen door and left. He’s leaving?
Cade didn’t know where he went but he had a feeling that he wouldn’t be gone for long. He started throwing his head in each direction, taking stock of what he had at his disposal.
It was a large kitchen. He was in the middle of the aisle and the counters were too far apart for him to reach anything if he tried. His wrists were rubbed raw. Every move he made scraped his skin against the ropes.
The chair he was sitting in looked sturdy enough, but Cade figured that if he tried to stand and fell down hard enough, he could break it.
Wasting no time, he stood at an angle and grunted as he dropped onto the chair as hard as he could. It didn’t break. He tried again. Nothing.
As he went to stand again, he heard faint footsteps outside. They’re coming back.
Cade’s movements became urgent as he bent forward and stood before making small hurried steps toward the counter. He swung his body to the side, desperately trying to break the chair against the cupboards as the footsteps got louder. The chair was starting to chip at the legs. He was close. So close.
Before he could try one more time, the door swung open and all Cade’s hope left him.
I can’t do this again. He just couldn’t. All he wanted was to find her, to know that she was okay.
Cade was falling deeper and deeper into a dark hole of anguish when Jude quietly rushed into the room. His heart lurched as he dropped to his knees, the remnants of the chair still attached to his arms. He was saved.
“Oh my Gods, Cade!” Jude exclaimed, his face twisted in horror.
Cade knew what he probably looked like. There was no time to ponder over it.
“Jude,” he wheezed. “Untie me.”
Jude didn’t waste another second. He ran behind him and got to work. Cade winced and cringed as he agitated his sore skin. As soon as the rope fell to the floor, Cade fell forward on his hands, gasping. Jude came to his side and carefully helped him up.
“What the hell happened?” Jude asked, once he was on unsteady feet.
Cade held onto the counter as he tried to push the words past his lips.
“Deianira…” he panted. “They’re gonna kill her…”
Jude stood behind and placed a hand on his shoulder, his voice laced with desperation. “I know. I was looking for her. Where is she? Is she okay?”
He shook his head grimly. “I don’t know,” he said, pained. “I don’t know where she is…”
Jude cut him off. “Think, Cade. Where did you last see her?”
He sputtered. “H-her room. A couple hours ago. I tried to go back but…”
Cade winced as Jude’s grip on his shoulder tightened. “Come on. Where would she go?” He sighed. “I want to keep her safe. Just like you.”
Cade’s nose twitched. Even in his condition, through his pain, he could smell it. It was a scent he’d smelled before. It wasn’t overbearing, it was just a hint of something. What is that?
It was something… wrong. Something dark. Dishonest, deceitful. Cade almost choked. He had no idea what was happening but he was almost sure that… Jude just lied to me.
“I can’t let them get her. She’s all I have.” Jude continued.
Lie. He was lying. Why? Why wouldn’t he want to keep her safe? Cade’s mind spun. Of course. It was all too convenient that Jude showed up the second his father left. They planned this.
The only thing Jude didn’t know was that Cade had figured that much out. That was his only advantage. So he used it.
He tried something. Something that he’d never done intentionally before. It was only because of what he’d learned about his mother’s past that he took notice of it. It was a risk. If it failed, he’d be giving himself away. If it worked…
“Jude…” Cade muttered as he turned around slowly, eyes hopeful.
“Yes?” Jude answered quickly.
Summoning every memory, every moment, every touch that he had shared with Deianira, Cade projected his love for her.
“You don’t want to hurt Deianira…” he said carefully. “She’s your niece. She’s all you have left…you love her.”
Cade didn’t even breathe as he waited. He might have just signed his death warrant.
Jude’s eyes glazed as he stared at Cade.
“I don’t want to hurt her. She’s just my little girl.”
Cade let out a sigh of relief but held on as he let images of her cloud his mind. “You want me to help her. You want to let me g…”
Click.
“I knew it… Just like your mother.”
Cade froze as he felt the barrel press into the back of his head. Like a switch flipped, Jude shook his head and glared at Cade, eyes clear.
“You son of a bitch,” Jude whispered. “Did you know about this?” he asked Drake over Cade’s shoulder.
“I had a feeling,” he said regretfully.
Jude sneered at Cade. “Impressive. But do tell, what was that? I know compulsion and that wasn’t it. I mean, I actually felt that,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I loved her. How did you make me do that?”
Rage. That was the only thing Cade could feel. Pure, unfiltered rage.
Her own uncle. He was like a father to her. She adored him.
“Come on, son.” Drake bumped the gun against the back of his head. “You were blabbing just a second ago.”
Breathe in, breathe out.
“Fine. Don’t tell me.” Jude stepped up to Cade and gripped both sides of his head. “You’re not the only one with tricks.”
Cade felt the haze coming over him but quickly bent and ducked out of his grasp.
BANG!
The world went silent for a second as Jude fell to the ground in front of him. Then, the ringing in his ears started. Shaking his head, he stood back up and twisted. His vision didn’t need to be clear to see that his father was scared. Taking advantage of his momentary shock, Cade grabbed the arm holding the gun and brought it down hard on his knee.
Drake cried out, instantly dropping the weapon. Cade ignored the burn on his chest as he dove for it. Before he could grab it, a weak arm pulled at his leg. He didn’t hesitate as he pulled his foot back and kicked out with all his might.
A choked cough told him that he’d hit his target.
Grasping the gun, he rolled onto his back and tried to aim at his father. He was seeing two of him and no matter how much he shook his head or blinked, he couldn’t get a lock on the target.
Cade pulled the trigger anyway. BANG! BANG! BANG!
When Cade didn’t hear a body hit the floor, he lowered the gun and squinted.
Drake was gone. He’d fled. Coward.
Cade struggled back to his feet, ready to pursue him when he noticed a red blotch in his field of vision.
But not a body. Not Jude’s body. Just a trail of blood leading out of the back door. He was alive.
Cade roared out in anger before kicking the abandoned wooden chair, smashing it to pieces.
He couldn’t go after them both. He needed to pick one. His father for himself, or Jude for Deianira.
