Chapter 88 Carl

Chapter 88 Carl
CARL'S POV

My ringing phone dragged me out of my sleep. Already, my chest was getting tighter while I read on-screen the name Marcus, one of my most trusted men. Swiping to answer, already my voice was a low growl.

"What is it?

‘We have a problem," Marcus said, the tight urgency laced into his voice. "The head of Security has mobilized a team. They're coming for you, Carl. They're going to raid the estate within the hour."

I almost lost my grasp on the phone as that icy panic clutched my chest. "How the hell could this have happened?”

"It's Kellan Easton," Marcus spat. "That bastard's been gathering evidence, and he gave it to them. They've got enough to tear you apart."

I clenched my jaw so tight I thought my teeth were going to crack. Should have killed Kellan Easton when I had him. That smug, self-righteous fool actually thought to take everything from me, power, my empire, Amanda.

"Listen now," I said, my voice razor-sharp. "Delay them. I don't care how you do it--cause a diversion, bribe someone, whatever it takes. Buy me time."

Marcus hedged. "Carl, they're not just coming for you. They're looking for Amanda too. She's their priority."

My head spun, the room with it. I refocused myself with sheer force of will. "Do what I said," I snarled, ending the call.

I slammed the receiver onto my desk, my hands shaking. My well-greased empire, cemented together with blood and manipulation, was falling at the seams.

Paranoia clamped a noose on my mind. Every shadow in the room would move; every sound out of the window sounded like it was some sort of harbinger of doom.

I sprang to work, pulling out drawers, cupboards, too, pulling out incriminating documents-offshore account details, forged contracts, the whole lifeblood of my operation. I watched one by one as flames had them in the fireplace and my sins digested piece by piece.

"This isn't supposed to happen," I muttered, pacing across the room while the roar of the fire continued at my back. "I had it under control."

It wasn't. Deep inside, I knew. Kellan had been a thorn in my side for weeks, and I'd underestimated him. And the consequences were going to broadside me like a freight train.

I dragged a suitcase from my closet and started tossing cash and jewels-anything that would have any real value-inside it. Zipping it shut with shaking hands, I thought: I wouldn't go down without a fight.

I stormed down the hall toward her room. With every step I took down that hallway, a shot went off. The instant I came to her door, without as much as a courtesy knock but more so the use of my shoulder to slam it open, the creaking of the wood and she sat up on the bed edge, white yet defiant.

"Get up."

Her eyes locked into mine-cold, yet not inhuman-she said, "I am not going anywhere with you, Carl."

Anger churned through me, hot and blinding; I slammed the door shut behind me, and the room seemed to reverberate with the sound. "Do you have any idea what's happening?" I hissed. "They're coming for us, Amanda. For you. And if they find you here, it will be all over. Do you understand?”

"Good," she said without hesitation, and her voice was flat. "Let them come. I'm not afraid of you anymore.”

Her words slapped me across the face like a palm. "Not afraid?" I spat back, the laugh that tumbled out bitter. "You really think you've won? You think Kellan can save you?"

"I don't need Kellan to save me," she said, her chin lifting in that defiant tilt. "I'll save myself."

Something snapped in me. In three strides I was across the room and had her by the arm yanking her to her feet. "You ungrateful little- "

"Let go of me!" she shrieked, full in revolt against my merciless grip.

"You don't get to make demands!" I thundered, shaking her. "Everything I have done, I've done for you. I gave you a life, Amanda. I made you who you are. And this is how you repay me?"

"You didn't give me a life," she spat, the words bitter. "You stole it. You stole me."

And in some ways, those words cut too deep-a little too deeply than I cared to admit. "You're mine," I growled as my fingers tightened on her wrist. "And you're coming with me, like it or not."

She struggles more desperately-heated scratches on my arms and furious kicks and twists to this hopeless attempt at escape. Her fire of defiance angers me further.
"Don't fight me!" he yelled, tossing her across the bed.

She struggled to her feet, her eyes ablaze with anger. "You're a monster," she said, her voice shaking. "And you'll never control me again."

Words like gasoline onto an already set fire. The next thing I knew, I was striking across her face with the opened palm of my hand, sending her reeling. Her cry escaped her, yet I barely heard it.

"Do you see what you've done?" I yelled, pacing around the room from her like a beast that had broken free. "You turned me into this. I gave you everything, and you threw it back in my face. Well, no more, Amanda. No more."

She looked up to me, staring widely-eyed in fear yet defying me. "You will never win, Carl," she huffed. "You already lost."

"Shut up!" I roared, clutching her again. She struggled her nails across my skin this time, but stronger.

"Let me go!" she screamed hoarse with desperation.

"Don't fight me!" I yelled back, shaking her until her head snapped back.

With one last, heave and defiant, she broke loose. She darted toward the door, fumbled with the lock, but was slower than I.

I tugged on her hair, pulling her in through the door. She fought on. Screaming loudly at the top of her lungs. Never, over my dead body. "You think you could run from me?" I snarled at the girl, tugging on her in the direction toward the bed. "You think you could escape?

Her foot lashed out, kicking hard into my shin. A searing pain ran up my leg, and red filled my vision. Once more my hand came across and smacked her with just enough force that she crumpled to the floor.

She didn't get up.

My chest heaving, I glared down at her unconscious body in a swirl of roaring currents and panic inside. What had I just done?

Sirens tore into the silence, their decibel mark rising with every second that flew into the world. My heart plummeted as realization hit.

They had come.

In quick seconds, I was to my feet, Amanda's limping body thrown over my shoulder. She wasn't going to leave me now. Not today. Not ever.

As I did, I could hear, by the time I was at the hall, that the sound of footsteps rattled around the estate.

The police were inside.

Panic overcame me, and I whirled towards the back entry. My mind was blanketed, my thoughts everywhere. I had to be outside. I had to run.

But deep down inside, I knew the fact.

There was nowhere to go.