Demise (Gallows Hill, #3)

by Katelyn Taylor

“We would love to, but we already have dinner plans—” “Cancel them,” he cuts in. “Be here at six PM, sharp. Oh, and I heard little Stephanie Thompson was back in the States. Bring her as well.” With that, he hangs up the phone. Fuck. My eyes swing to Skyla, a foreboding feeling settling in. I don’t like her around him. I don’t like the way he looks at her, the way he talks to her, and I don’t like that I never have any idea what he’s up to. It’s like playing chess with only half a board. How are you supposed to play the game if you can’t see the moves your opponent is making? “What’s wrong?” Skyla asks as she looks over to me. “My dad called. We’re going to dinner, and he wants us to bring Stephanie.”

“Vincent. I haven’t been able to get a hold of him since he left yesterday. I’m worried. He was really upset with me.” “Why?” I ask. Her teeth chew on the inside of her lip for a moment before she releases it. “Because he was vulnerable with me, he told me that you killed Nathaniel and I…didn’t believe him.”

It’s not until we make it through the other side of town and are less than a quarter mile from Putnam Manor that Stephanie begins to put it together. “Wait, where are we going to dinner again?” she asks, her body language suddenly rigid, her tone brisk. Skyla winces slightly before turning around to face her. She doesn’t speak, but apparently, she doesn’t need to. Stephanie takes one look at her face and panics. Leaping for the door, she tries the handle, but I’ve already engaged the child locks miles ago. “No, no, no, no! How could you? Sky! Why are you doing this to me? I can’t see him! I can’t be in a room with him…them…any of them!” she screams in outrage. “I’m sorry, Steph. We don’t have a choice—” “The fuck you don’t! Let me out of this fucking car right now!” she screams. “We don’t!” I snap, not liking the tone she’s taking with Skyla.

“My father requested you, by name. He knew you were in town and said we had to bring you. The last time Skyla and I were here, we both earned so many lashes we could hardly walk. What do you think would have happened to us, to her, if we showed up without you?” I can see Stephanie’s pulse racing in her neck from here, her face white as a ghost as we pull up to the roundabout driveway and park. She swallows roughly, closing her eyes before a mask of composure falls over her. It’s actually quite remarkable to witness. She looks between us with a steady gaze as she speaks. “I’m very upset with you both, but you’re right, and now isn’t the time or place. Let’s just pray to fucking God we can make it out of here in one piece.”

“I won’t let him hurt you, I promise.” Normally, I don’t make promises. There is always a risk of breaking them. This one I can be absolutely sure of, though. Mainly because if he even lifts a finger towards her, I’m grabbing the 9mm I have hidden on me and emptying the clip between his eyes.

Skyla

As we walk up the stairs, my arm looped through Asher’s and Steph’s, I can see her shaking beside me. You wouldn’t be able to tell though by looking at her. Her head is held high, eyes focused and hardened. She looks like a picturesque vision of poise. Yet I can feel the deep seated fear radiating from her. Hopefully, I’m the only one that will.

“Stephanie Thompson,” Christopher booms with a smile so fake it would make a car salesman cringe. “It’s been years. You certainly have grown up,” he says as he leans in, pressing a kiss to either cheek. She returns the gesture, though hers hold a significant amount of disdain to them. “You‘re looking as fabulous as ever, Christopher. If only Giselle could see you now.”

“Already bringing up the sister you’ll never be?” my father says, stepping into the room beside Christopher. “Just keeping the memory alive of the wife you never loved,” she spars back to him. Asher and I trade unnerved looks. I’ve never heard anyone speak to my father this way, or Asher’s father, for that matter. With how terrified she was, you’d think she would cower, play dead, something. My father doesn’t react like Christopher did. Instead, he gives her a bored glance before turning to face me. “Skyla,” he says with a head dip. “Father,” I say in return. He reaches his hand out for Asher, and he takes it, shaking my father’s hand tightly before releasing it. “A pleasure as always, Henry.” My father nods but doesn’t say a word as he looks back to Stephanie. “Why did you come?” “I invited her, Henry. Don’t scare off my dinner guest just yet.”

“And how is my favorite daughter-in-law doing?” “I’m good, thank you for the invitation,” I smile politely. “I’d guess less than good. Being kidnapped by a deranged psychopath has to be less than pleasing.” My lips part in surprise. “How did you know?” Christopher laughs like I told a joke before shaking his head. “Sweetheart, you really think a member of my society can kidnap my daughter-in-law, burn down a property, and I wouldn’t know about it?” “I burned the place down,” Asher interjects before Christopher stops him. “No, you didn’t. It was Corwin, understand?” Asher stares at him for a moment before nodding. Christopher nods as well as he claps his hands together. “Good, let’s eat.”

“Though I will say, I’m pleased to know my son’s affections have grown for you. We’ve come far from screwing whores and calling out Skyla’s name, haven’t we son?” Asher freezes at that, and my brows knit together. Christopher makes a face of mock surprise as our plates are set in front of us by the waitstaff. “Oh, did you not know? I’d have thought you’d heard. If the Elders were hearing about my son’s little tryst with the Lewis girl, I’d assumed you knew.” “When was this?” I ask before I can help myself, hoping to God it was so long ago that it doesn’t matter. Asher is staring at his food before his eyes come to me, his words clear but soft. “Shortly after our ceremony…before we…made up,” he says cryptically.

Asher was inside of her, calling out my name. Maybe that should give me some kind of peace, and to be fair, we weren’t together…still, though. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me. Reaching down to my knee, I push Asher’s hand away and he looks up at me, hurt passing over his face before he lowers his head and nods. “I made a mistake, an embarrassing one.” “That’s all you ever do is make mistakes,” Christopher tuts. “Let’s hope that it will be the end of them, hmm?” he asks, none of us missing the threat in his tone.

“I’ll be honest, I think all that time abroad has soiled your couth. It’s a good thing you’re home now and won’t be returning,” he says, his smile vanishing by the end of his sentence. Steph gulps roughly but doesn’t speak as Christopher yet again switches targets. Lucky me, I think I’m next. “So, Skyla. If it’s not too traumatic for you, I’d like to talk about what happened with Corwin.” “I don’t think that’s nec—” Asher starts but is silenced with a bang of Christopher’s fist against the table. “I don’t believe I addressed you, boy,” he spits.

“What do you want to know?” “What was his reasoning?” my father asks sharply. “For taking me?” I ask. He nods. I shrug. “He said that I looked just like Mom. That they used to date—” Christopher scoffs. “He wished.” “And that me coming back was like a second chance,” I continue. “He told me that she started dating my father and then…you.”

“He was about to rape me,” I say, the words coming out sharp as a knife, an awkward hush falling over the room. “He was stripping me naked and was going to rape me and then dress me in my mother’s clothes when…Asher came in,” I say, altering the story. Based on how Christopher and Asher spoke, they made it sound like Asher was the one to find me, alone. Not Vincent or Liam or Wesley or even Ronan.