An amateur's guide to conning a conman

Chapter 34

My grandmother push Dante back so hard against the seat that I heard him inhaled deeply clearly trying to control his emotions.

" Anyone else want to play? Salina always used to play with me but instead of jewelry, we used candies. Remember?"

" I remember the red marks on my wrist." I said.

She laughed, " Well dear it's because you weren't fast enough. Adan never had trouble."

" You were easy on me." He said, his words were careful with just the right amount of sweetness to sound convincing.

In a brief second, Titus released my hand and shot forward for the necklace. My grandmother caught his wrist of course but he was smiling.

The necklace was looped between his fingers.

" See the interesting thing about this game is that you're betting everyone will play fair. No one ever does."

With a flick of his wrist, he broke free of her grasps and pulled his hand back.

My grandfather broke into a laugh.
" I like you. You remind me of myself."

She smiled, " You're right. No one ever plays fair. You can take the necklace back, return it even and clear your names. However, if you get up right now and leave through that door, I will release footage of you breaking into my home, and manipulating and kidnapping my granddaughter because who knows what happen that night. How am I not sure you took her and brainwash her all these years?"

Titus stiffened beside me along with Jacy. I didn't even to look at Dante to know he was scowling.

I swallowed, " If you do, I will speak out against you. I will tell the world the reason I disappeared was because of you."

For once my grandmother looked hurt but she quickly casted away the emotion.
" You were ten when you disappeared and you've been gone a decade. You're traumatized dear, you don't know what's wrong from right."

The tension between us crackled with electricity, the kind where one wrong move would have us all flying back.

I couldn't let Titus take the fall for me. He didn't deserve it. My grandparents always knew the right cards to play but I was the wildcard in their deck of perfect winnings. I was a mistake baby, I ran away, I was the one thing to disrupt their idyllic life. And I am the only one that can give them that life back.

" You want me don't you? That's the whole reason we're here." I said. " Adan told me you've been looking for me for years. You did all of this because you want me back home and I'll stay."

Titus's eyes flicked to look at me.
" Sweetheart, what are you-"

" You let my friends leave with the necklace and clear their names and I'll become the Salina Dark you want."

Jacy grabbed my arm in attempt to stop me but I kept talking.

" I'll be my father's daughter."

" And how do I know you wouldn't leave again?"

" I won't. You recorded us upstairs, you have blackmail to ensure that if I even step out if line, you'll release the tapes, ending his career."

My grandfather smiled, " It looks like you are your father's daughter."

I didn't return the smile.

" Sweetheart." Titus was pleading now but I didn't glance at him, if I did I wouldn't be able to go through with it.

" It's getting late. I'm sure you all are tired. I know my granddaughter is." My grandmother rose to her feet.