any of the subtle hints, but she did snap her mouth shut when Father finally barked, “Cease your useless prattling.”
Mae’s mouth opened. How dare he speak to her sister like that? How dare—?
He slewed a cold gaze in her direction, and Mae kept her lips sealed.
Even now, despite the camera being disabled—because Lin, being less than subtle, had actually removed it from the wall—she had to wonder if there was another watching. What if Father had more eyes and ears?
Lin either didn’t think of it or didn’t care. “You forgot to add that he’s arrogant and just plain mean. Did you hear how he talks to the staff?” Trust Lin to be more worried about others than herself.
“He’s an important man.” Mae could think of a thousand excuses. Did any of them justify his behavior? Then again, perhaps it was because they didn’t know each other. Strangers that had known each other less than a day. Perhaps over time, he’d soften?
“I don’t like him. I want to go home.” Lin’s lower lip jutted.
“We don’t have a home, remember? It burned down.” Burned down on Ronin’s orders. What kind of person did that?
The tears truly welled in her sister’s eyes. “All our stuff is gone.”
Mae had been doing her best to not think about that. If she did, she might let out a never-ending scream. She had to remain strong, now more than ever. For her sister.
Because I screwed up.
“I want Mom.” Lin’s lips trembled.
“Me, too,” Mae admitted. What had started out as an adventure had turned into a nightmare. “Let’s find a way to call her.”
“How? We left our tablets on the boat.” With their handheld devices and some Wi-Fi, or a cell connection, they could have contacted her.
There didn’t appear to be any phones lying around the villa. A lavish place of concrete walls layered over in many rooms with a textured plaster. The staff didn’t say anything to the girls. Just brought them whatever they asked for. And chances were they reported to someone who would tell their father.
“We need to get our hands on something we can connect to the internet.” If they asked for a device from the staff and claimed they needed it for entertainment, would they give the girls one? Maybe they should just try filching one. But that would require them running into someone carrying a phone.
“Come on,” Mae said suddenly, rolling off Lin’s bed. “Let’s go outside for some air.”
“I don’t want to go outside,” Lin pouted.
“Trust me. You want to go outside,” Mae enunciated. Her sister was miserable, and Mae wasn’t feeling too happy herself. Time to examine the problem and figure out a solution.
“You suck.”
“I know.” She dragged Lin down the long hall in the wing with their adjoining bedrooms. The coral floors, preserved under a clear coat, let them walk barefoot without any jaggedness. At the end of the hall, patio doors led into a courtyard, walled all around, twenty paces by thirty paces. It provided a secure and beautiful garden surrounding a plunge pool, the greenery of the topiaries lush. A pair of lounge chairs flanked a short table. If they sat out here, someone would bring them a drink.
If they went for a swim, they’d find a towel for each of them folded by the edge. Someone was always watching. Despite their father’s demeanor towards them, the girls received all kinds of pampering. Their treatment was luxurious, as were their rooms. A shared bathroom joined their bedrooms, both of them much bigger than the one they used to have.
There was a giant living room with a massive television. A dining room with way too many chairs. At various points throughout the house, armed men could be spotted in the halls, the windows not facing the courtyard electronically locked at all times. The girls had received a warning that they weren’t to leave the house without permission.
A pretty prison.
As Lin flopped onto the seat, Mae glanced around, wondering where the camera was located. The climbing vines hid most of the cement-block wall to the second floor. A slight movement drew her attention to the man standing in shadows on the second-floor balcony. It ran around the entire space, and she’d wager there was a matching sniper concealed on the opposite side.
What kind of man required such intense security?
And the more disturbing thought, how would Mother manage to take them back? Because Mae had no doubt that Father had meant what he said. He was keeping his daughters. He