Chapter 6
"Psychological warfare?" Camille scoffed, backing away until her spine hit the edge of a heavy carved marble side table. The aristocratic polish was completely gone, leaving only naked, arrogant defiance. "Oh, please, Reid! Do not stand there and play the moral crusader! We are the mafia! We run illicit gambling rings, we control the ports, we extort politicians! Since when do you care about a maid's cheap stuffed animal?"
"Since that animal held the last memory of a dead woman," Reid retorted, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "Since that maid provides more love and stability to my daughter in a single day than you have managed in an entire year of this engagement."
He stepped closer, his tailored dark suit cutting a formidable silhouette against the bright, clean whites of the room.
"She is a peasant!" Camille shrieked, slamming her manicured hands onto the marble. "She is a servant! She was overstepping her boundaries! Poppy was calling her 'Mommy'! I am going to be the lady of this house! I am the one who is supposed to raise your heir! I had to assert dominance to remind the staff of their place!"
"You asserted your jealousy," Reid corrected, his voice entirely devoid of emotion. "You are a barren, vicious creature who craves a respect you cannot organically create. You destroyed a priceless memory out of sheer, petty spite."
"I am trying to build an empire with you!" Camille screamed, tears of frustration ruining her flawless makeup. "You spend half your time indulging that girl! You are losing your edge! The other families are laughing at you! I took control because you were too weak to enforce the hierarchy yourself!"
"You have shown me that you are a liability," Reid stated with brutal, surgical precision.
He didn't wait for her to formulate another hysterical defense. He turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the four heavily armed guards stationed near the silk drapes.
"Are you men going to secure this traitor, or must I break her legs myself before we walk downstairs?" Reid asked, his command absolute.
Two massive enforcers stepped forward instantly, moving with terrifying, synchronized efficiency. They grabbed Camille roughly by the arms, entirely ignoring the expensive fabric of her luxurious emerald gown.
"Get your hands off me!" Camille screamed as they dragged her backward toward the corridor. "My family will not stand for this! You cannot survive without my father's alliance! The Drake syndicate will burn this mansion to the ground!"
"Take her to the holding cells in the sub-basement," Reid commanded, his voice completely unbothered by her threats. "Ensure the temperature is dropped, and that she is stripped of all jewelry and communication devices."
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"You are a dead man, Reid!" Camille wailed as they hauled her through the heavy mahogany doors. "You hear me? You are a dead man!"
"We will see," Reid murmured to the empty room.
