Lily |18+ [Paraíso, #1]

twenty seven

|J A K E|

I hate this shit.

I hate a lot of things but having to come back to this shithole ranks high up on my hate list.

I'm not even stopped by security when I reach the front gate. They take one look at me and the gates open. A hoard of reporters swarm around my car, asking questions regarding my grandfather's press conference. I drive forward, not giving two shits if I run them over. They should ask those burning questions to the viper who summoned them here.

It's another trip up the winding back road that curves around an enormous lake. My grip on the steering wheel tightens when the mansion comes into view.

Events from last night surface in my mind. One moment I'm having the time of my fucking life, making out with Julia and the next, I'm battling my inner demons.

Kylie.

The thought of my daughter brings back haunting and painful memories from the past. All these years and I'm still not able to shake away the sight of Kylie lying on a pool of blood—her blood—and Eliza standing over her lifeless body, specks of blood on her face and a gun in her hand.

I close my eyes, the highly graphic scene doing nothing to pacify the godawful hollowness and wretchedness that threaten to engulf my mind and body. I didn't protect her. I couldn't protect my own daughter.

And the person responsible for it is seating high on his throne, about to make the biggest announcement in his pathetic political career.

"Mr Carlisle." One of the suits follows me, hot on my heels as I head straight to grandpa's office. I barge right inside when I reach it, startling both grandpa and his head of PR.

"You have some fucking nerve."

He has the audacity to smile. "Jacob. It's nice to see you too—"

I don't bother with the pleasantries. I lunge for his neck, pulling him up from his chair and slamming him on the wall.

"Kylie?" I shout. "You were going to use Kylie against me?"

His response is jumbled up, mostly because of my chokehold around his neck. He tries to get me to release him by slapping my arms repeatedly but his weak attempts do nothing to subside my anger.

I'm ripped away from him moments later, his security team doing all they can to hold me back from finishing him off.

"Leave us," he tells the bodyguards once he's regained his strength. He uses his desk for support as he stands up.

"But congressman—" one of them protests.

He holds up a hand to silence him. "He's my grandson. He wouldn't dare hurt me."

I wouldn't bank on that if I were him. I'm about to fuck him up.

"I'm assuming that you spoke with Julianna, although I was expecting a more pacified version of yourself." He stands up straight. "A night of carnal debauchery is supposed to loosen you up, right?"

My response is to punch him squarely on the jaw, causing him fall back on the floor.

"It was merely a test of faith on Julia's part," he says breathlessly, still on the floor. "How she would handle that type of information and all that."

I fist his collar and raise him up to my face. "Do I need to remind you what you did?"

His whole demeanor clouds over and a sadistic smile comes over his bloody mouth. "What happened to Kylie was a tragedy. I acknowledge that. One that I did not stop despite having the power to do so."