Alphas - Origins by Ilona Andrews Read Free Book Online

The words came out painfully.
    â€œDo I have to ride the bus?”
    Karina swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat. Acknowledging where they were was hard, as if she were driving nails into her own coffin. “No.”
    â€œWhy do we have to stay here?”
    â€œThis is where I work now.”
    â€œYour mother is a slave,” Daniel said. “Lucas owns her.”
    If only she could have reached across the table, she would have hit him with a closed fist so it would hurt. Karina forced neutrality into her face, pulling it on like a mask. Show nothing. Betray no weakness.
    â€œIs a slave better than a payroll supervisor?” Emily asked.
    â€œThey’re not that different,” Karina lied. So many times before she had thought she worked like a slave, pulling in long hours, picking up project after project, perpetually behind, trying to get to the bottom of her to-do stack. She thought she had experienced the worst life could throw at her. All of it seemed so pointless now. Her memories belonged to someone else, a happier, flightier, younger person. She had a new life now and new priorities, chief of which was the welfare of her daughter. She had to keep Emily safe.
    Emily poked her pancake with a fork. “What about the house? All our stuff is there . . . my Hello Kitty blanket . . .”
    â€œWe’ll get new things.” She cast a quick glance around the table but none of the three men said anything to break down her fragile promises.
    â€œWill I get my own room?”
    Karina looked to Lucas. Please. Don’t separate me from my daughter.
    He wiped his mouth with a napkin, his movements unhurried. “You have to stay at the main house. You can come to visit your mother on weekends. We’ll set up a room.”
    â€œI want to stay with Mom.” Emily’s voice was tiny.
    â€œYou can’t,” Lucas said.
    Emily bit her lip.
    â€œYou’ll have a good place at the main house. A room you’ll share with a nice girl. Toys. Clothes. Everything you need. If anybody tries to be mean to you, tell them you belong to Lucas. Everyone is afraid of me. Nobody will harm you.”
    â€œNo,” Emily said.
    Lucas stopped eating. Karina tensed.
    â€œAre you telling me no?” Lucas asked. His voice was calm.
    Emily raised her chin with all of the defiance a six-year-old could muster. “I’m tired and I’m scared, and I’m not going. I’m staying with my mom. Are you going to yell at me?”
    â€œNo,” Lucas said. “I don’t need to.”
    â€œYou’re not my dad. My dad left.”
    Lucas glanced at Karina.
    â€œI’m a widow,” she said quietly.
    â€œI’m not your father, but I’m in charge,” Lucas said. “You will obey me anyway.”
    â€œWhy?” Emily asked.
    Lucas leaned forward and stared at Emily. “Because I am big, strong, and scary. And you are very small.”
    â€œYou’re not nice.” Emily held his gaze, but Karina could tell it wasn’t out of courage. Emily had simply frozen like a baby rabbit looking into the eyes of a wolf.
    â€œIt’s not a nice world and I can’t always be nice,” Lucas said. “But I will try and I won’t be mean to you without a reason.”
    Karina put her hand on his forearm, trying to tear his attention away from Emily. It worked; he looked at her.
    â€œPlease.” It took all of her will to keep the tremble out of her voice. “Please let her stay.”
    â€œI want to stay,” Emily said. “I’ll be good. I’ll do all my chores.”
    â€œI’ll think about it,” Lucas said.

CHAPTER 4
    A half hour later, breakfast was finished. The men rose one by one, rinsed their plates, and loaded the dishes and silverware into the dishwasher with surprising efficiency. Karina put the last of the food away. Henry had stepped out, but Daniel remained in the kitchen, leaning against the