Page 25 (1/2)

"What life? If I’m his property, then what life?"

"Children, Harper Your job as a Company woman is to have children And"--the Admiral looks over at Vincent and smiles--"Vincent says he’d like you to take part in his new role as well See? He already loves and cares for you enough to consider the idea of letting you work"

"Letting ot to be joking "Slaves, you hters ill be sold off when they turn eighteen? Sons ill be given away to whomever to be turned into killers?"

"Your sons will not be killers, Harper Don’t overreact Your sons will be Coht to kill and taught hs "Nick is not royalty, sweetie You are not royalty But your children, with Vincent’s blood mixed in, will be You are the start of a new Coest faht and a new era of poill begin We own everything, Harper We have people in positions in every world government that matters We run the US Senate and the next president will be a Coets elected We hold private utility companies, prisons, water treatment plants, hospitals, andbut the hearts andwith Vincent, will capture their iirl with the handsome politician The road to power, and your place in history, is ift to you"

Oh my God It’s like he’s a villain in those comic books Nick and I used to read

"Ready?" And then Vincent has entle But it’s not even a question It’s a foregone conclusion

I let hi what else to do

"Harper," Vincent says as he leans down infrom your room?"

I consider this I consider the phone But the more I think about it, the less likely it is that the phone in my roos up by trying to text Ja back on s

My prouides ht there was a helicopter?" But before the words are out ofon this ship It’s a fucking sailboat

"Once we board my yacht we can take the helicopter to my home Our home," he amends It will be wonderful, you’ll see And soon, Tet will be gone and you’ll never have to think of hiain"

He pulls a hoodie on over his head and then he slips his feet into a pair of gray canvas boat shoes and grabs e There arefor us My body feels hot as I realize that they all kneas coiven away They probably love the fact that I’ punished I killed thirteen people, some of them crew They probably hate me

"Step carefully," Vincent says as he holds his hand out to help me into the tender, but not ours His

I settle in the seat next to Vincent at his request and he puts his arm around me "Are you cold, lionfish?"

"What did you just callave you that naers?"