Page 14 of Devil's Sinner

"Why would I trust a Windsor?" Hugo Cabot shot daggers at me with his eyes. "And over my son-in-law, of all people?"

"I'm telling you the truth."

"You'll excuse me if I find that a little hard to believe, with our history." The man glared at me. "After all, your father is the one who put me here."

I furrowed my brows. "That’s not true."

"I've heard he's been bragging about it," Cabot hissed. "Telling everyone and their goddamn mothers he's the one who put the mighty Hugo Cabot behind bars."

I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose and wincing at the pain from my bruise. “He didn’t do it. I asked him to his face and he told me. I’m not saying he’s always honest, but it wouldn’t make sense for him to make a move like that. And if he had, he would have been the first one here to gloat about it to your face.”

We stared at each other for a moment, and he seemed to relent. After all, I knew my father a whole hell of a lot better than he did.

"You may be right there," Hugo reluctantly admitted. "Your father was always the type of man who liked to look into his prey's eyes before he went in for the killshot. He doesn't put them in a locked cage, that's for fucking sure. How else would he gloat about his success in bringing his victims down?"

I nodded silently, and we sat in quiet agreement for a few moments. Finally, I leaned forward, the receiver pressed firmly against my ear as I spoke. "Look, Hugo. Can I call you Hugo?"

"No," the old man grunted, but I ignored him and went on.

"Hugo, I'm not here to reignite the family feud. All I want to do is find Violet."

"So you can do more despicable things to her?" Cabot's eyes were flaming with fury yet again. "No, I don't think so."

"Please, Cabot." My voice came out in a low grunt, but I wasn't below begging Cabot for his cooperation. I needed to find Violet, and fast, before that pervert got his claws stuck in her and damaged her beyond repair. "Her well-being, her safety depends on you now. If there's anything you can tell me about Connor, anything that would help at all, you need to come out with it now, before it's too late."

The man behind the glass regarded me with cool indifference. There was a spark of interest, maybe even of compassion in his eyes, but it went out almost the second it appeared, and I knew then and there I wouldn't be getting any help from Hugo Cabot.

"I'll never trust a Windsor," he finally said, loud and clear. "If my daughter left... Well, maybe she finally came to her goddamn senses. I always knew she’d get over that foolish crush one day."

He wasn’t going to tell me anything. I could see it in his eyes. I slammed the receiver down, got up, and walked away. I hated it. Hugo Cabot wasn’t have an easy time behind bars. I promised Violet I’d get him out, and I still intended to honor that deal.

Hell, it was personal now.

The worst part was that I couldn’t blame Violet’s father for distrusting me. Of course he did. When things fell apart with him and my dad, he swore he’d never trust a Windsor again. I was guilty by association. Just because some of the old man’s blood ran through my veins.

Still, it bothered me that I couldn’t get through to him. Violet needed his help, and I couldn’t convey the message because of distrust. Or worse, Peterson had him wrapped around his little finger, just like the rest of the fucking family.

It was possible.

I walked out of their prison with my hands in fists and my jaw painfully clenched. Everything hurt, especially my feet, but I made sure I kept good posture. Another tough lesson from my dad.

I slammed the door when I got back to the car.

“Everything okay, Sir?” Jasper asked, obviously digging because he could tell it wasn’t.

“No.” I growled and slammed my fist against the window. “Hugo was of no fucking help. I wasted all this time and I’m no closer to finding Violet!”

“What now?” Jasper asked. “I could check with my sources again.”

“Yes!” I wafted a hand at him. “Please do! We need something to go on!”

My body was broken, but it would heal.

My soul was in a lot more danger.

I was the devil, Icollectedsouls.

But what would happen if I lost mine?