The Heiress He Underestimated novel Chapter 71

Chapter 71 Blood Means Nothing (2)

“She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Drakonius said flatly. “And you put your hands on her without permission. So I think we’re done here.”

“Now wait just a minute,” Kieran started, puffing himself up. “You can’t just come in here and tell me I can’t talk to my own…”

“I can and I am,” Drakonius interrupted. His voice never rose above conversational level but somehow it still managed to make everything around them go quiet. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to walk away. You’re going to stop calling her. You’re going to stop using her name to inflate your own importance. And in return, I won’t destroy what’s left of your business and your reputation. Does that sound fair to you?”

Kieran’s face cycled through about five different shades of red and purple. His mouth opened and closed like a fish. “You can’t… I’m her father…”

“You’re a man who sold his daughter to settle a business deal,” Drakonius said, and his voice was absolutely brutal now. “You don’t get to play the family card. Not with me. Not ever. Now get out of my sight before I forget that we’re in public.”

For a second, Elera thought her father might actually try to hit him. She could see the rage and the humiliation and the alcohol all mixing together into something ugly. But then Kieran looked at Drakonius’s face, really looked at it, and whatever he saw there made him back down.

“This isn’t over,” Kieran muttered, but it sounded weak. Empty.

“It is,” Drakonius said. “It absolutely is.”

Kieran turned and stumbled away, back toward the bar, his shoulders hunched. A few people who’d been watching quickly looked away, pretending they hadn’t seen anything.

Drakonius turned to Elera, and his expression immediately softened. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she said, and she was surprised to find it was true. “That was… thank you.”

They headed for the private hallway they’d come in through, moving with purpose now. People got out of their way. They were almost at the door when one of the hotel’s security guys appeared in front of them, looking stressed and apologetic.

“Mr. Vex, Mrs. Vex,” he said quickly. “I’m so sorry, but there’s been a small incident at the service entrance you used. Minor electrical fire in a control panel. Nothing serious, but the elevator’s shut down temporarily for safety. We can take you through the main kitchen to another exit if you’d like, or…”

“We’ll use the main entrance,” Drakonius said immediately, cutting him off.

Frost appeared at their side like he’d materialized out of thin air. “A fire,” he said, and it wasn’t a question. It was an accusation.

“Very small, sir,” the security guy said, looking nervous now. “Just a precaution.”

“Main entrance it is,” Frost said into his wrist mic. “All teams converge on the front. Now.”