Cooper Read Online Free PDF Page B

staircase that led up to her room and safety.
    "Without telling anyone where you were going? Without taking one of the cars?"
    She turned as she reached the bottom step and looked guiltily at her father. His face was very red and there was tightness around his eyes. Both hands were flexing into fists.
    "I didn't want to trouble the drivers. It was just as easy to take a cab."
    How could she admit that if she’d taken one of the cars her father would have been made aware of her destination? Going to Marquez had been her first real act of rebellion in five years and only desperation had driven her to take that step. Psychologists and therapists hadn’t been able to heal her, and Marquez had seemed like a tiny light at the end of the tunnel. She’d known it was crazy and stupid to take the risk. She’d known it would bring punishment down on her. But just once she wanted a choice she made to be the right one.
    " Didn't want to trouble the drivers ? Amy Lindsay Hays, how often have I told you that these people are employed to do our bidding? You aren't inconveniencing them by getting them to do their job."
    "I…I know, father, but Jules had a date and Miguel was sick. I didn't mind. Worrying about having one of them sitting outside in the cold waiting for me would have spoiled the show." And it wasn’t a total lie. Inconveniencing anyone for her own benefit felt wrong. But then, thoughts like that were wrong too, weren’t they? Her father was right. He was always right. She shouldn’t have gone to see Marquez; and if she had, she should have taken a driver.
    The growl was almost inhuman as her father strode across the Italian tiles to her side. He grabbed her upper arm in a painful grip and shook her until her head jerked backwards and forwards like a bobble-doll.
    "Worrying about a chauffeur sitting in a car? Sometimes I can't believe how stupid you are! What if you couldn't find a cab? All I need right now, after what happened to Akabar and Rothmen, is someone targeting members of my family. I can't be seen to be vulnerable. And if it was known that my daughter pranced about the city on her own, it would make me an easy target."
    She wanted desperately to see this anger as a sign of his concern for her safety. But she knew better. Her father cared nothing for her or what she did with her time. All he cared about was how her actions might reflect on him.
    "I'm sorry, father. I… I didn't think," she got out before biting her tongue when her jaw slammed into her chest.
    "Sorry? You're always sorry, girl. And you never think. Why would this time be any different? If I hadn't had your blood tests confirmed repeatedly over the years I would have sworn you were a cuckoo placed in my nest by some passing ugly moron. But no, it's worse than that. You're my daughter. You're Guild. And I can only think you're a throw-back on your mother's side, because I can see no breeding in you whatsoever." He flung her with all his strength at the stairs, and she tripped and fell heavily onto her right elbow and side. The pain and fear were terrible, but not as bad as they would be if she didn't escape now.
    On hands and knees she began crawling up the staircase, afraid to look back in case she drew more violence down on her head. By the time she reached the upper level she was shaking. Tears poured down her face. She felt sick, so sick she thought she might throw up the brownies she'd eaten at the coffee shop. What further punishment would that mean? Not only befouling the hall carpet, but displaying further evidence of her rule-breaking.
    Hurriedly, she scrambled to her feet and hobbled down the hall to her bedroom. Once inside she headed for the bathroom and spewed up the brownies into the toilet.
    Maybe it was better this way, she thought numbly, as she flushed the evidence away. At least now there'd be no zits to incriminate her.
    As she staggered back into the bedroom and collapsed across her bed, her phone began to buzz in her bag. It