My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 198

Chapter 198

He reached out and grabbed Mom’s chin, his fingers digging in so hard she had to stand on her tiptoes. I felt hot bubbling feeling in my chest. I wanted to bite his hand.

“She belongs to the Syndicate, which means she belongs to me,” Daddy said, turning his head toward the door where the men in suits stood, “Vance.”

“Yes, sir?” Uncle Vance said, stepping forward. He looked at the floor, not at us.

“My wife has way too much energy today,” Daddy said, “She thinks she can talk back because I’ve been too nice to her. She isn’t to be served anything today. Not a snack, not a crumb, not even a glass of water. If I catch anyone giving her so much as a grape, I’ll make sure you never work again.’

“Do whatever you want to me,” Mom whispered, “Starve me. Lock the doors. I don’t care. Just leave my baby out of this. She’s five, Giovanni. She’s just a baby.”

“You still don’t get it,” Daddy hissed. He leaned in until their noses almost touched, “You don’t make the rules here. You’re a guest I keep around because you were a good vessel for my daughter. That’s all.”

He shoved her face away like he was bored of her. He straightened his tie and looked at his gold watch.

“I’m the one who puts food on this table,” he said, “I’m the one who fills your belly and keeps the heater on so you don’t freeze. Every breath you take is a gift from me. Since you want to tell me how to raise my daughter, you can spend the next day feeling exactly what it’s like when I stop taking care of you. I have the power to feed you, Hazel, which means I have the power to watch you go hungry. By tomorrow, I expect you to be a lot more grateful for the life I give you.”

I didn’t like it. I didn’t want Daddy to be mean to Mommy because of me. I tried to hide behind the big cloth napkin.

“Don’t test me again,” Daddy said, pointing a finger at her. “Because the next thing I take away won’t be your dinner. It’ll be our daughter. I’ll send her to a school across the ocean, and you’ll never see her face again.”

Then, Daddy reached his hand out to me. His voice went back to being sweet and soft.

“Mine!” Mom shrieked.

With one big yank, Daddy tore me away from her. I felt her fingers slip off my arms, and then I was up in the air, tucked under Daddy’s arm.

“Take her to her room and lock the door,” Daddy ordered Vance, pointing at Mom.

Mom was on the floor now, reaching out for me, her face wet and her voice gone. I looked over Daddy’s shoulder as he carried me toward the study. I saw Mom getting smaller and smaller as the big doors closed. I saw her hand reaching out one last time before she disappeared.

“It’s okay, princess,” Daddy whispered, patting my back as I cried. “Mommy is just having a little time-out. Now, let’s go show the Doctor how smart you are.”