Twisted (Never After #4)(35)

I hold back the annoyance at the reminder that I never learned how to drive, but it blossoms in full force anyway when Julian walks through the hall and into the kitchen like he owns the place.

Groaning, I tilt my head back. “Shouldn’t you be working?”

He grins as he makes his way into the room, leaning his elbow on the island across from me and plucking a grape from the fresh fruit platter that was set out when I first came down.

“Just making sure you don’t miss me too bad.” He winks and then turns his attention to my father. “Good to see you up and moving around, old man.”

“Hmm,” Baba grunts, glancing between the two of us. “How did dinner last night go?”

“Yeah, speaking of, I thought you’d be there,” I cut in.

My father’s face softens. “I wasn’t feeling too well.”

“You could have told me at least.”

He waves his hand in front of him like it’s no big deal. “I didn’t want you to see me that way.”

I sigh, irritation nagging at my middle. “Baba, I want to see you in any way.”

“Enough,” he replies, causing me to jerk back at the harsh tone. “Tell me how last night went.”

I place my coffee on the counter and fist my hands in my lap. “It went fine.”

Julian isn’t even paying attention, popping another grape in his mouth as he watches the drone footage of that Lamborghini crash.

“Fine?” my father repeats. “That’s all I get?”

Shrugging, I look over to him. “He wasn’t my type.”

“He was a disaster, Ali,” Julian interjects. “Honestly, I’m surprised you even set them up.”

“He’s an upstanding man, Julian,” Baba argues. “I’d think you’d want someone in her life who knows how to present themselves around important people.”

Julian’s brows rise and he turns to face my father fully. “And why would that matter to me?”

“Because they’ll own Sultans.”

My lungs cramp, and a pregnant pause fills the air.

Julian’s jaw twitches. “Ah, of course.”

I watch Julian carefully, noticing the tensing of his body and the forced grin.

He clearly doesn’t like that, and his offer to help me is exactly what I suspected, merely to help his own agenda. He doesn’t want to help me; he wants what’s being left to me.

Hatred swirls deep in my gut like a witch’s brew, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out and saying something I’ll regret.

Julian flicks his gaze to the TV again, nodding toward it. “I’m pretty sure that’s the same car our very own Alexander Sokolov was driving away in last night.”

“What?” I gasp.

My eyes lock on Julian’s.

He smirks. “Sure hope nothing bad happened.”

My mouth drops open, revulsion crawling through my insides like spiders.

“I’m sure it’s just a coincidence,” my father says, rising from his stool. “But I’ll go put in a call just to double-check.”

Julian murmurs his agreement. “Good idea, old man. He’d been drinking heavily. I tried to convince him to let me drive him home, but he wouldn’t listen.”

I sit with a dead stare as my father walks out of the room, shock filling up my bones and sticking me in place like I’m sinking into quicksand.

“Oh, come on, Yasmin. Don’t look so surprised.” Julian chuckles, popping another grape into his mouth.

“Did you do this?” I manage to rasp.

His brow lifts, and he makes his way around the island until he’s standing directly in front of me, so close that his legs are on either side of my thighs. “I’m afraid death is part of life, gattina.”

I narrow my eyes, something sick settling heavy in my gut.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He shrugs. “Whatever you want it to mean.”

My mouth is as dry as sandpaper, and I unstick my tongue from the roof, slowly licking my lips. I’m afraid to voice the next question, but I can’t not ask. “Where’s Aidan?”

“On a plane,” he replies simply. “Happy as can be with a belly full of high-end champagne and the promise of a better life on the horizon.” He pauses, tilting his head the slightest amount. “He’s with my assistant, Ian, who is loyal to a fault. Overeager to help me with any…difficulties that might get in my way.”

I nod, even while my stomach drops to the floor, hopelessness filling me up like wet rocks. His implication is more than clear.

But is he really capable of that?

Of course he is. I’m no stranger to the darker side of my father’s life and the company he keeps, despite Baba trying to keep me from it.

It’s too late to go to my father. Julian has Aidan, and I have…

“Have you thought any more about my offer?” he continues, stepping in even closer and reaching out to cup my cheek with his large hand.

I swallow, forcing back the burn that’s growing behind my eyes.

“Are you going to kill him?” I hate how weak my voice sounds, desperation clinging to every syllable.

His thumb brushes across my jaw, sending fear spiking against my spine. “Not if you cooperate.”