Read Online Joseph Fallen (The Estate Series) by M.S. Willis - Free Book Online
Authors: M.S. Willis
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in response to Connor’s question. “I thought about that long and hard last
night while I watched over Arianna as she slept. I believe Emory can take over for the
time being. It won’t be often that
he’ll have control over the network…only at night and other times when I’m with
her.”
Connor stopped suddenly, and with his hands folded behind
his back, he looked up at Joseph. “Are you sure? Emory seems
like a loose cannon. He’s good at
his job, yes, but I’m not sure he can be trusted. There is something – off –
about him.”
Shrugging off Connor’s concern, Joseph pushed himself up
from his chair before saying, “I understand what you’re saying, and that is the
exact reason Emory has not been chosen to protect my wife. However, I believe that he can be easily
handled in other matters. I’ve already
set him on the task of determining the identity of the man who attacked
Arianna. Once we discover his
identity, I’ve instructed Emory to form a team to track down and kill whatever
group it was that sent him. If he’s
successful in his task, I’ll have no concerns as to his loyalty to The Estate
and his ability to manage the men.” Walking briskly towards the door, Joseph motioned for Connor to
follow. “I guess it’s time to talk
to Arianna.”
. . .
“I can’t believe you’ve kept this hidden from me all these
years, Joseph. I…why…how dare
you?!” Her sobs accented her words,
her voice strong, but broken by the information her husband had just revealed. “It’s like I’ve never known you at
all. This isn’t you; you’re a
businessman, not a criminal. How
does something like this happen?” Arianna turned away from her piano, spinning on the bench so that she
could look her husband directly in his eyes.
Joseph stepped towards her, his hands reaching as if to touch
her, but fisting instead when he pulled them back to his side. “Don’t question my decisions,
Arianna. You’ve lived a life of
luxury unlike anything you’ve ever known before because of MY decisions…”
“Yes, Joseph, I
am living a life I’ve never known before – you are at least correct on
that! All I’ve ever known is love,
companionship, a family who I spent time with; but now, and over the many years
you’ve kept me trapped here, all I’ve
known is solitude, sadness, a great and heartfelt longing for the husband I
married years before. And now? Now, I can’t even walk the grounds of
the home you’ve given me without fear of being assaulted by the trash you’ve
attracted into our lives. Years ago
you told me you’d reconsidered their offer, you’ve LIED to me all this time,
leaving me in the pitch black of shadow – easy prey to the lifestyle you’ve led.”
Her voice dropped low, quiet and troubled as she made her
next statement. “I was almost
raped, Joseph…raped! Do you
understand what you’ve done? What you’ve
become?!”
Joseph remained still as Arianna approached him. With their eyes locked, he kept his
expression blank, attempting to hide the seething rage her words had created
within him.
“I want to leave, Joseph. I want to leave this place and these people,
and that man who stands behind you.” Her hand raised, she pointed over Joseph’s shoulder towards Connor where
he leaned against the wall of the music room. “Did you see what he did in those
woods? How he killed that man
without thought?”
His voice dripping with barely controlled wrath, Joseph
said, “He was protecting YOU. That
man he killed was trying to rape you, to harm you on the grounds of OUR
home! You can’t leave,
Arianna. I love you too much to
allow that.”
She stilled, her sullen eyes dropping to the floor before
lifting once again to look fearlessly into the molten and angry steel color of
her husband’s. “The way you treat
me, leaving me alone most of the time, only to show up
night while I watched over Arianna as she slept. I believe Emory can take over for the
time being. It won’t be often that
he’ll have control over the network…only at night and other times when I’m with
her.”
Connor stopped suddenly, and with his hands folded behind
his back, he looked up at Joseph. “Are you sure? Emory seems
like a loose cannon. He’s good at
his job, yes, but I’m not sure he can be trusted. There is something – off –
about him.”
Shrugging off Connor’s concern, Joseph pushed himself up
from his chair before saying, “I understand what you’re saying, and that is the
exact reason Emory has not been chosen to protect my wife. However, I believe that he can be easily
handled in other matters. I’ve already
set him on the task of determining the identity of the man who attacked
Arianna. Once we discover his
identity, I’ve instructed Emory to form a team to track down and kill whatever
group it was that sent him. If he’s
successful in his task, I’ll have no concerns as to his loyalty to The Estate
and his ability to manage the men.” Walking briskly towards the door, Joseph motioned for Connor to
follow. “I guess it’s time to talk
to Arianna.”
. . .
“I can’t believe you’ve kept this hidden from me all these
years, Joseph. I…why…how dare
you?!” Her sobs accented her words,
her voice strong, but broken by the information her husband had just revealed. “It’s like I’ve never known you at
all. This isn’t you; you’re a
businessman, not a criminal. How
does something like this happen?” Arianna turned away from her piano, spinning on the bench so that she
could look her husband directly in his eyes.
Joseph stepped towards her, his hands reaching as if to touch
her, but fisting instead when he pulled them back to his side. “Don’t question my decisions,
Arianna. You’ve lived a life of
luxury unlike anything you’ve ever known before because of MY decisions…”
“Yes, Joseph, I
am living a life I’ve never known before – you are at least correct on
that! All I’ve ever known is love,
companionship, a family who I spent time with; but now, and over the many years
you’ve kept me trapped here, all I’ve
known is solitude, sadness, a great and heartfelt longing for the husband I
married years before. And now? Now, I can’t even walk the grounds of
the home you’ve given me without fear of being assaulted by the trash you’ve
attracted into our lives. Years ago
you told me you’d reconsidered their offer, you’ve LIED to me all this time,
leaving me in the pitch black of shadow – easy prey to the lifestyle you’ve led.”
Her voice dropped low, quiet and troubled as she made her
next statement. “I was almost
raped, Joseph…raped! Do you
understand what you’ve done? What you’ve
become?!”
Joseph remained still as Arianna approached him. With their eyes locked, he kept his
expression blank, attempting to hide the seething rage her words had created
within him.
“I want to leave, Joseph. I want to leave this place and these people,
and that man who stands behind you.” Her hand raised, she pointed over Joseph’s shoulder towards Connor where
he leaned against the wall of the music room. “Did you see what he did in those
woods? How he killed that man
without thought?”
His voice dripping with barely controlled wrath, Joseph
said, “He was protecting YOU. That
man he killed was trying to rape you, to harm you on the grounds of OUR
home! You can’t leave,
Arianna. I love you too much to
allow that.”
She stilled, her sullen eyes dropping to the floor before
lifting once again to look fearlessly into the molten and angry steel color of
her husband’s. “The way you treat
me, leaving me alone most of the time, only to show up
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