Chapter 4

My mother rushed into the hall and yanked Isabella up off the broken glass.

She checked her over frantically. "Isabella, where are you hurt?"

Isabella threw herself into her arms, sobbing her heart out. "Aunt Helen, this crazy woman tried to wreck my hands!"

My mother whipped around and slapped me hard across the face.

She was beside herself with rage. "Isabella suffered out there her whole childhood. We adopted her. What's wrong with making it up to her a little?!"

I slowly wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with my thumb.

"That slap was for her?"

My mother ground her teeth. "What if it was?"

My lips curled, and I nodded. "Fine. I'll remember that."

My father strode up to me, glanced at Marcus under my foot, and barked at me, "Let go of Marcus, get on your knees, and apologize to Isabella right now!"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "And if I don't?"

My father's face darkened. "Then I'll announce right now that you're cut out of the Payne family for good! From now on, whether you live or die has nothing to do with this family!"

I laughed out loud.

"When you tricked me into handing over my mercenaries, why didn't you cut ties with me then?

"When you stole every trust fund in my name, why didn't you cut ties with me then?"

My father's eyes shifted for a second, but he still snapped back at me, "Those mercenaries were nothing but trouble Selina Payne left behind! She was vicious by nature. She deserved to die!"

My mother jabbed a finger in my face and joined in. "If your sister were still alive to see you tormenting Isabella like this, she'd be so disappointed in you!"

My smile only widened.

So I deserve to die. How nice.

Apparently, enough time had passed for them to forget how they'd groveled on their knees before me three years ago, crying and begging me to leave.

With my parents backing her, Isabella grew bold again.

"Cecilia," she cooed, "if you just kneel and admit you were wrong, I can ask the Don to spare your life. I'll even have the basement redone and make sure you don't go hungry."

I glanced down at her knees, still oozing blood.

"What, you haven't spent enough time on your knees today?"

Isabella went white and shrank behind my mother.

My mother snatched up the barbed whip and lashed it at me.

This time I caught the tip of the whip and yanked it back hard.

My mother stumbled toward me.

I wrapped the whip around her hands and tied them to the leg of a solid wood table.

My father started to charge me, and I kicked over a barstool. The heavy stool landed on his foot and pinned it.

I brought the heel of my combat boot down on his toes and slowly ground it in.

My father's face went gray with pain, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

I smiled. "Father, before you cut me out, shouldn't we settle what you owe me first?"

Marcus roared from the floor, "Guards, cut off her hands!"

A dozen armed bodyguards closed in.

I let go of the whip and picked up a combat knife from the floor.

Isabella thought I'd run out of options.

She hid behind my mother and jeered under her breath. "Without the Payne name, you're nothing."

I didn't even glance at her.

I gripped the handle and spun the heavy knife once in my palm.

Twice.

On the third spin, I slowly ran my thumb along the edge.

It was what I always did before I killed someone.

When I was 14, someone pushed my sister into an ice-cold pool on purpose.

I spun a knife three times just like this, and then, right in front of my parents, I broke every bone in that person's arms and legs, one by one.

My mother's furious expression froze in place.

She stared at my hand as the color visibly drained from her cheeks.

My father forgot all about the pain in his foot and scrambled backward in terror.

Knife in hand, I walked toward them, one step at a time.

"Father. Mother.

"Three years. Did you miss me?"

I stopped in front of them and gave them my gentlest smile.

"Now, which of you wants to answer me?

"Where did you hide my sister?"