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47 | Karma is Served

I told you so.

“Get your fucking hands off of her!”

I craned my neck, twisting around the side of Euphrates to fix Carter with a flat, baffled glare. Father? The woman had called him ‘father’.

My nose wrinkled as I looked between them. Their features were stunningly similar. She shared his bright blue eyes, nose, brown hair, and permanent scowl. I felt sick to my stomach. How could a man like him have a child and still do the things I’d witnessed him do to another soul?

“You don’t own the room anymore, Carter.” He ground out, sliding his eyes across my wilted body. “I do. And my first order of business and securing Devani.”

“I’m not letting her go, Euphrates.” Carter swore, forcing himself to stand. “She’s not going anywhere, and if she does, I’ll just bring her back again.”

Laughing, Euphrates stepped to Carter, slowing edging the man back toward the fireplace. “You think this is still a negotiation, Carter?”

“You’re not leaving here with either of them, Euphrates. Why bother bringing my daughter here?”

I swallowed, cringing when the title came from between his lips. Slowly, my head turned to face her again. She was hunched over in the chair, her arms awkwardly cuffed behind her. Confusion and hurt pulled her eyebrows down, but she forced her lips into a grim flat line. She was determined to appear unafraid.

“Hey…” I called out to her, turning to face her fully as she perked up. “What’s your name?”

She batted big eyelashes at me and bit her lip, indecision flashed across her face. I nodded at her, prompting her to speak. Her head shook frantically as Euphrates’ guard rounded her chair.

“Leave. Her.” He barely glanced at me, still advancing. I shot up, angrily stomping after him. “I said leave her.” His face pinched, and he glared down at the hand wrapped around his forearm. I stood my ground, daring him to ignore my command. Begrudgingly, he nodded a single time and moved away.

“What is your name?” Frustration edged away what little patience I still possessed, “is that a hard one?”

She blinked twice, running her bright eyes over my face before letting her shoulders droop. A puff of air came between her clenched teeth, “Emmaline.”

“And that man,” I pointed at Carter, “is your father? Truly?”

Chuckling darkly, Emmaline tested the bonds of her zip-tie cuffs. “In blood and name only…”

“I’m not—”

I jolted, turning at the harsh sound of a slap. Carter lay on the ground, grasping his face with a vengeful glare on Euphrates. “Again, Carter, we can do this for a short while longer, but I’m losing my patience. You get your daughter back, safe and unharmed, in exchange for Devani’s freedom.”

“Devani will never be free of me, Euphrates.”

“She’s free of you within the next 30 seconds or you won’t like the consequences.”

“What are you going to do, Voughton?” Carter spat, standing up. His hand pressed against his mouth, trying to stem the blood pouring out. “You’re on my property and surrounded by all the things I own.”