Broken Bonds (Club Imperial Series) (15 page)

“Daddy, no!” Ally yelled.

“I said take that girl out of here, Alyssa, and keep her out. And you stay out too.”

“No, no!” Ally screamed and tore out of the room. Emmy felt a bit of relief. At least Ally wouldn’t be here to witness this.

Alyssa seemed to run after her.

“Spineless bitch,” Emmy bit out.

Sean slammed her face into the tile, and grabbed onto her hair. “I was so glad when you disappeared, you worthless little shit. You were taking up the money for my little girl. You and your pretty daddy and his pretty life. Nothing better could have happened the day you called and said you were staying with Charles.”

“Anything to get the fuck away from you,” she snarled.

“My little girl deserves this life you got going here,” he sneered, leaning in. “You love your mama and your sister, you little bitch. I know you do.”

Oh, God.
“What do you want?”

“You are going to listen to me and listen to me well,” he spat, shaking her by her hair. “You remember, like before. Like you did when you lived under my roof. Your pretty little ass made me a penny. Well. We’re going to work on this together, aren’t we?”

“Sean,” she started, feeling the edge of hyperventilation creeping up on her.

“If you love your mother, and you want her to live and your sister to never, ever know what I can do through personal experience, then you are going to shut it and fucking listen to me,” Sean growled. He put a knee on her back to hold her down. “This life you have should be Allison’s. She deserves it more than you. And you’re going to help me make sure she never wants for anything. You’re going to whore for me again, just like I know you like.”

Sean wouldn’t do that to Ally, he spoiled her beyond reason—
did he love her, though?
Spoiling her didn’t mean he loved her…Emmy tried to lift her head, “No, no!”

He slammed it back down. “Yes, you are,” he grated. “Or your mother is going to find herself falling down the stairs, and your sister will find herself on her back with her legs in the air. Do you understand me?”

“No! You can’t do that to Ally! You wouldn’t!” Emmy threw her head back as hard as she could.
Oh, God.
Ally was an object to him. He was going to—she got his hand off her head, and tried to shove him away. “No!”

He hit her hard. His whole fist slammed into her eye and hit her head against floor. “Yes. Yes, or your pretty boyfriend is going to have to deal with your mother’s neck snapping after she slipped and fell down the stairs. Don’t push me, girl. You know what happened the last time you pushed me. You know you like whoring for me. You make a pretty penny. Nice and high priced.”

He wasn’t letting her up and even with all her strength she couldn’t get out from under him. She didn’t think he was
this
strong. She thought this power had been a figment of her imagination as a teenager, because she was small and weak and young he’d just simply seemed that strong.

Something cold and hard pressed into her side. “Feel that? It’s a lovely little gun I bought the other day. Lovely rules you have out here. Guns in big-box stores. I thought this might convince you a little more thoroughly that I’m not kidding. I will put this gun to your mother’s head. I will make your sister whore for me. And you will be punished far worse than last time.”

Every defense she had in her mind was breaking down. She didn’t ever want her sister to have to spend her Friday nights on her back, tied up, her legs spread for the filth Sean brought to her; $50 an ass-fuck, $75 for the cunt.

Oh, God, I’m going to puke.

He leaned into her ear. “My little girl is worth more than your ass, and you’re going to help me spoil her.”

“You don’t love her!” Emmy screamed at him.

“She’s my little girl,” Sean said.

Emmy turned and looked at him through the tears streaming down her face from his blow. “That doesn’t mean
shit,
Sean. Spoil her all you want, lie to her and to yourself and Mom. You’re nothing but a narcissistic, abusive asshole.”

“You’re
all
my means to a nice life. I will turn your sister into exactly what I made you. But you’re not going to let that happen, are you? Because you love that little girl and you know she’s better than that. Better than you.” He slammed her head back to the tile. “You remember how this works.”

Emmy’s insides liquefied in fear. She couldn’t answer him, and she couldn’t—wouldn’t—let him do this to Ally.

She stopped fighting, stilling herself.
I’m sorry, Nathaniel.

Sean climbed off her. Emmy lay on her side, just breathing, numb.
Ally
...she cast her eyes down and slowly got to her knees. She stared at Sean’s shoes. She stopped, leaned back on her feet.
Not Ally
.
Not ever my little sister.
Sean leaned down and grabbed her chin, lifting her face.

“About time you learned your place, bitch.”

Emmy felt the tears in her eyes. “I’m doing this for my sister.”

The flat of his hand smacked hard against her face. “Shut it. The only time you open your mouth from now on is to suck on a dick.”

Chapter Fourteen

Nathaniel hummed happily, waltzing into the office. He hadn’t meant to propose last night, but it seemed like just the perfect moment. He was hoping to do it on Saturday at the party. Really surprise her. Even though he didn’t know if she would say yes, he wanted everyone to know he loved her, and wanted her there. And it would be even more perfect since Sarinya and Paul were going to be there.

“You are in an excellent mood, Mr. Walsh.” Gwen smiled.

“I am,” he agreed, with a grin. “Thank you for noticing.”

She handed him a stack of papers. “These need your immediate attention. Everything else has been handled, and is under control.”

He nodded at her. “Remind me to give you a raise.”

Gwen laughed. “You should just make me a VP at this point.” 

He stopped. She was right. She was, as Emmy had, running the place on her own. He hadn’t gotten a single call from her ever if he said he was taking the day off. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I’ll talk to Victor about it.”

“I was kidding, Nathaniel,” she called after him.

“I wasn’t!” He tossed the comment over his shoulder. It was time to start thinking about it. Since Co-President and CFO Victor was becoming a father, and co-president and COO himself was going to get married,
you hope
, they needed someone else. Time to move her up. He’d have the lawyers look into what it took to add in a VP and CEO to the structure.

Ten a.m. tee time, here I come.
He looked at his desk. “I hate golf. Forget that.” He was going to have to find something else to take up his time. He stopped and smirked to himself. Emmy probably had some opinion on that.

The phone buzzed as he sat down, and he ignored it for a moment while he booted up his computer. It buzzed again and he heard Gwen scream at him, “Pick it up!”

Oh shit.
He grabbed the handset and put it to his ear. Gwen was on the other end. “You have a hysterical girl who says she’s Emmy’s sister on the phone.” He didn’t even have to tell her to switch him to it, she clicked off the line and he heard the weeping.

“Allison?”

“Oh, God, Nathaniel, you have to come back. You have to. He hit her with a frying pan in the back of the head!”

“He. Did. What?”

“He came running in about a minute ago and slammed Emmy in the back of the head with a frying pan! She hit the floor. He kicked me and Mom out. I don’t know what to do!”

Emmy
. Holy shit. He took a deep breath, and tried to stay calm. “Allison, I want you and your mother to go out to the garage and lock yourselves in. Lock all the bays and all the doors and windows. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, but what—”

“I will handle Emmy. Go. Take your mother and run. Ally—grab her cellphone.”

“Okay,” Ally said.

“Go!”

The phone went dead, and Nathaniel wanted to panic. He knew
that
would do no one any good. He took a second to collect his thoughts. Joanne had gone shopping. Quinn. Quinn was still on the property. Where the hell was security? He grabbed his cellphone and ran out of his office, Gwen motioning him to go without a word. He jumped in the elevator.

He dialed Quinn’s phone and it rang only once. “Yes, sir?”

“Where are you?”

“Back barn,” he said.

“I need you to get to the house,” he ordered. “There’s going to be a taxi arriving in about fifteen, twenty minutes. It’s supposed to pick up Emmy and her family for the day.”

“Yes, I remember,” Quinn agreed. “They didn’t want to take—”

Nathaniel cut him off. “You cannot let the taxi in. Lock the gates, turn on the security for the garage. I need you to make sure Sean and Emmy don’t get off the property.”

“Sean and Emmy?” Quinn asked. “Oh, fuck.” Nathaniel heard the gas golf cart start up. “It’s going to take me ten minutes to get back there.”

“Whatever you do, don’t let that taxi leave the grounds.”

“On it,” he said. “Where’s security?”

“I don’t know.” Nathaniel worried. “But their asses are going to be fired if they aren’t hog-tied.”

“Where are you?” Quinn asked.

“Getting in the truck,” Nathaniel said, popping the door open.

“I’m heading back now,” he answered. “Do we need the police?”

“No, I’m going to get Wright and her crew over from Galloping Ridge.”

“Good deal,” Quinn said. “Get here fast and safe, Nathaniel.”

He ended the call and threw the phone on the seat. He waited a minute for the phone to connect to the Bluetooth in the car, and dialed Victor’s office.

“Walsh,” he answered.

“Sean’s done something to Emmy,” Nathaniel explained, trying to stay calm. “I’m on my way back there. Find Franklin. I need to know what the hell happened to the guards on the house. Why aren’t they there and able to stop this. I’m sending the crew on your house over.”

“Got it,” Victor agreed. “Go.”

Wright answered her phone and before he was even on Route 8 to get home, she and the three others at Galloping Ridge were headed for the car to North Hills. He told them Alyssa and Allison were in the garage. It was an eight minute drive, once they were out of the driveway. Which meant Quinn would be getting to the house just about then as well. He would be about ten minutes behind that, so they’d know what was going on.

Emmy, shit, shit.
What the hell was going on up there? Who was this asshole that he had slammed his step-daughter in the back of the head with a frying pan? Where the hell were the guards on the house? He was going to kill someone if Emmy wasn’t okay.

He drove just barely legal up Route 8 to get to the house. Instead of twenty minutes, it only took him fifteen. The taxi was just pulling up to the shut and locked gates as he sped to the driveway. He hit the gate button in the car and it started to roll open, the taxi trying to get up the driveway. Nathaniel leaned on the horn and flashed his headlights.

Once the taxi was on the other side, the driver had the brains to scoot over and let him pass. He tore up the driveway and saw Quinn, Wright, Perez and one other guy standing near the garage door. The door was open and Allison was sitting on the ground crying.

He walked over to them and Allison launched herself at him. “Oh, my God, Nathaniel! He could have killed her. I tried to stop him—”

“Tell me what’s happened,” Nathaniel said, quietly and firmly.
Where the hell is this calm coming from?

“We were sitting at the table chatting about dresses and shopping and the party on Saturday,” she managed between gasping sobs. “She was just sitting there and I saw Dad come out of nowhere and just whale her on the back of the head with a skillet. She fell off the chair and tried to get away, but Dad pinned her and she couldn’t move. He told Mom to get me out of there, but I wasn’t waiting. I ran like hell upstairs and called you. When you told me to get out, Mom and I went through the front doors, so I had no idea what was going on in the kitchen.” She hugged him as tightly as she could.

Wright cleared her throat. “I stole a look in the window. He has a gun, but it’s on the table.”

“A gun?!” Allison gasped.

“He was smoking, and I couldn’t see Emmy.”

“You don’t think he shot her?” Quinn asked.

“No.” Allison shook her head. “I never heard the gun go off!”

Nathaniel looked at Allison wrapped around him, and took a deep breath. He had to go in there and find out what was going on.
Get Emmy out
. He knew Wright and Perez were good for back up, but he needed to get Emmy himself. “I want you to come with me, Ally,” he said. “We’re going in there to find out what he’s doing and get your sister away from him.” Allison nodded. “Wright, I want you and Perez outside the door. I want you,” he pointed to the other guy, “at the front door as a cover. And Quinn, you stay here. Don’t let him get to these cars if he gets past us.”

Quinn nodded. Allison stood straighter and let Nathaniel go. She was clearly terrified, but she wanted to help him. They turned and started to walk toward the house, when someone else called to them. “Wait, let me help.”

Alyssa
. Nathaniel turned and looked at her, standing in the door. “You can stay right fucking there. I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but I don’t want you near her right now. Did you even try to fight for her in there? I…” Nathaniel stopped his own tirade. “No, Alyssa. You can fucking stay here and figure out what you’re going to do when your husband’s ass is in jail for trying to kill my girlfriend.”

“Nathaniel—”

“Don’t you dare, lady.” He held up a threatening finger. “Don’t you dare try to explain this to me. This is Emmy’s story to tell, and Emmy’s life I’m trying to save.” He grabbed Allison’s hand and headed for the kitchen door. Perez and Wright took up position on either side and he banged it open. He marched down the hallway. He couldn’t see what was going on, but he wasn’t going to waste time. Emmy could be bleeding out.

He walked into the kitchen, and died a little inside.

Emmy was on her knees with her head bowed and her hands on her thighs. The submissive position.

Allison moved like frightened rabbit even before he could register what was going on in the room. She dodged and dove for the unattended gun on the breakfast bar and grabbed it before Sean had turned away from the window to see who was there. The gun trembled in her hand as she pointed it at her father, and Nathaniel could see she didn’t know what to do with it.

Nathaniel strode over as Sean attempted to collect himself. He calmly took the gun out of her hand and nodded at her. “Good job, Ally.” Sean started to walk over and Nathaniel whipped the pistol out at him sideways. “Air Force. Three years. Master marksman, six times. Move and I’ll plant one of these right in your sternum.”

Ally stared at her father with tears in her eyes. “You’re an asshole, Dad. An asshole.”

“Go ahead and get Perez and Wright, sweetie,” Nathaniel instructed, not taking his eyes off of Sean.

“No need, we’re right here,” Perez said as he and Wright walked in with their guns trained on Sean. Perez never let him out of his sights, and Wright walked over, pulling out a pair of handcuffs.

As soon as they clicked closed, securing him, Nathaniel and Ally were over next to Emmy. She didn’t see anything at that moment. “Emmy. Emmy, look at me,” he begged, quietly.

“Ha, you think she’s going to answer you,” Sean mocked. “I trained her. She listens only to me.”

Nathaniel closed his eyes for a moment and let out a breath. He had to get her out of here and he had to take care of Sean. He looked at Allison. “Ally, you know that voice your sister does?”

“The ‘don’t fuck with me’ voice?” she asked.

“Yes, that would be the one,” he said. “Do you think you can do it?”

“I don’t know...”

“I need you to try. She has to be told what to do,” Nathaniel said. “I need her out of here and safe and that’s the only thing that’s going to get her move.”

“You can do it,” she begged off. Nathaniel didn’t blame her.  

“No, Ally,” he said, flicking his eye over to her father. “I need you out of here too.” Ally’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I need you to go. You don’t need to see this or hear it. Take your sister to her old room, and tuck her in the bed. Never make it a question. Make it a command.” He motioned Perez over. “Robin will help you up the stairs.”

Ally nodded, a few of the tears falling from her eyes. Standing, she glanced over at Perez who gave her a firm reassuring nod. Looming over her sister, she faltered for just a moment, then spoke, “Emmy.” It wasn’t a question. “Emmy, look at me.” Emmy raised her head and looked up at her sister. “You have to stand up. Get off the floor.”

The grace Emmy possessed as she rose off the floor from the submissive position made Nathaniel ache for her, and angry for her. He felt his blood pressure rising. He was grateful for the respect and love between the sisters. Allison’s voice was authoritative without being degrading to Emmy. “Up the stairs with me. To your bedroom. Come with me.”

Emmy followed, her arms clasping behind herself, hands holding opposite elbows. She walked slowly with small steps and her head down. Perez was right behind them, ready to help if needed. Nathaniel watched as the three of them ascended the steps. He stared after them even after they disappeared to the second floor and kept his eyes trained on the steps until he heard her door close.

He spun around to find a sick smirk on Sean’s face. “What the fuck did you do to her?”

“Just put her back in her place.” He smirked. “She needs to be handled and broken. I broke her once and I just had to remind her how the whole thing worked. She’s nice and submissive for you, Nathaniel. Give it a try. She’ll do whatever—”

Nathaniel hauled back and punched him, hard. He felt his knuckles connect with his nose and crack the cartilage there. The blood gushed out of Sean’s nose, all over his clothes and pants and the floor Joanne kept pristine. “What did you do to her!?” he roared. “This has nothing to do with that submissive shit I just saw! What. Did. You. Do. To. Her!?!”

Sean laughed through the pain of his obviously broken nose. “Once her father died she was nothing but a burden and she was taking away from my daughter. So I just made her more compliant. She disobeyed, she was punished. Once I got her where I wanted her, she only disobeyed me once and I made sure she understood I didn’t put up with any kind of shit.” He laughed again, a foul gurgling sound this time through the blood. “She’s wrecked, man. You’ve seen it. Good luck with that.”

Nathaniel stared at him, and
everything
clicked into place.

Jesus.
He turned on his heel and headed for the stairs.

“Should we get him out of here?” Wright yelled.

“No,” Nathaniel snapped. “Leave him here so I can beat the piss out of him when I come back down.”

He stormed past Perez who was trying to get down the stairs, and stomped down the hall to where he knew Emmy and Ally were. He banged the door open and loomed in the doorway. Ally had just gotten Emmy on the bed and Nathaniel stalked over. “What did he do to you, Emmy? How did he punish you?”

Emmy looked up at him and instinctively crossed her hands over her breast.

Oh, God.
He knelt down in front of her. “Emmy, show me. Show me what he did. Right now.”

She shook her head.

“Show me,” he said. “Show me or so help me God, I will strip you myself.”

She started sobbing and gasping and put her hands to her face, shaking her head vehemently. “No.  No, I can’t.”

“So help me God, Emerson.” Nathaniel was not to be fucked with. He needed the truth.

A second later her violently shaking hands went to the hem of her shirt. Nathaniel motioned Ally over to help her sister. Ally was on the bed next to her, and lifted her shirt over her head. Emmy’s hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t bring them up to undo her bra. He stilled her arms for a moment.

“Ally, you should go,” Nathaniel commanded.

“No.” There seemed to be no room for argument in her voice. “I want to know what my father did.”