Page 86 of Fallen Legacy
A cold chill travels through my body at lightning speed. “Who wants to hurt her, Georgie?”
She releases what seems a mix of a half-sob and a half-laugh. “Our father. He’s going to kill her.”
I stride over to Georgie and grip her by her wrists, forcing her to look at me. “Snap out of it and start talking sense. What do you mean, our father? You mean yours?”
Georgie looks at me with wide eyes and shakes her head. “We slept together as well, and they knew, and they let us. They make me feel sick. All this time, they’ve been together, plotting how to unite the families and form their own dynasty.”
“What are you talking about? You’re not talking sense!” I shake her slightly, trying to pull her out of this trance she seems stuck in.
“We have the same dad!” she wails. “My mum and your dad, they’ve been having an affair for years. Your dad is my dad, Archer.”
I drop her wrists like they have electrocuted me. “You’re fucking crazy!”
She shakes her head and moves towards me, and I take a step back. “I know it sounds crazy. I came home early one night, and I could hear voices in the pool house. Your dad and my mum were arguing when I snuck in. Sorry, our dad,” she scoffs in disgust. “I heard Phil say that he wouldn’t fail their daughter. And I was standing there listening and thinking, what daughter? He doesn’t have a daughter. Then my world collapsed at his next words. ‘Georgie and Archer are my children. We will secure their legacy.”
“My mum stepped up to him and spoke about how she has spent years married to a man she despises and that he’s told her to bide their time but that she is tired of waiting. Georgie needs you, her father, to step up and secure her future.” She clutches at her face. “Phil is my dad, Archer. Not Callum.”
I laugh. This was utter bullshit, right? Georgie has finally had a mental breakdown. That could be the only rational explanation, surely.
“You’re lying,” I say coldly. I am done with her crazy story.
She grabs at my hands and clutches at them. “I swear to you, I’m telling the truth. Why would I make this up? You and I are siblings, Archer, and our dad, and my mum have been plotting to remove Eliza so that they could suggest we get engaged. They want us to marry and secure the family's future. Ensure a loyal and committed bloodline to rival the Aces.”
“You’re talking fucking incest, Georgie. You expect me to believe that my dad and your mum conceived you and they hid it and spent all these years plotting to marry you off to me, your supposed brother? Do you realise how insane that sounds?” I growl out the last part, getting frustrated with her.
“Hold up,” Rafe chirps in, studying Georgie. “We always said that the stalker seemed to have inside information and was always one step ahead. Your dad would have the means. Georgie’s mum would have access to all the ways to get around the security system.”
“It’s been a few weeks since I overheard that conversation and I’ve been a mess, Archer. I mean, you and I we had sex and you’re my…you’re my brother. And they encouraged it. They took great joy in knowing we had sex. My mum encouraged me to seduce you. She said that a match was on the cards, that I’d be the next Savage wife.” Running out of energy, she sits down on the sofa and holds her head in her hands. “I started watching them closely. I was desperate to find out more, and that’s when I overheard their plans tonight.” She looks up at me, her skin ashen and her eyes bloodshot. “They’ve tampered with her car, Archer. They plan to make it look like a car accident.”
“You’re saying my dad and your mum are Eliza’s stalkers?” I ask her in total disbelief. This has to be Georgie playing a game here, right?
“I’m saying that my mum and OUR dad are the stalkers. Eliza, coming back, ruined their plans. Edward and the other Elders were coming round to the idea of a match between you and me and then she shows up and suddenly the agreement that Edward and Wilbur reached years ago was back on the table. The plan was always to unite the two families again.”
“If my dad is your father, that would mean they were carrying on when my mum was alive.” That cold realisation washes over me like ice.
“They were together before my mum married my dad. I don’t think our dad ever loved your mum.” Georgie shakes her head. “This isn’t important right now. Eliza’s in danger Archer. I heard them. They were going to mess with her car. Phil had heard you and her talking about how she was going to Damon’s sisters for tea. Phil said he’d tamper with the car when everyone was eating. That way, it would happen on the way back here. They want her gone Archer and they’re prepared to do whatever it takes now.”
“Fuck,” Rafe exclaims. “Call her now, Arch. She may not have set off yet.”
With shaking hands, I pull out my phone and dial her number. It rings out and my heart pounds in my chest as I hit redial. “Nothing. We need to go, now!” I tell Rafe, and all three of us rush through the busy party and out the front door.
“My cars blocked in.” I swear, looking at the drive that is packed with cars. There’s no way we can get out of here without getting everyone to move.
“My car is down by the main gates,” Georgie tells us, pointing down the drive. I tell her to pass me her keys and we all run to the car and climb in. My hearts pounding in my chest. Fuck! I can’t lose her. The thought of her not being here makes my chest tight and I struggle to breathe.
“I’ll keep trying her number,” I tell Rafe as we speed through the dark country lanes. I press the call button on my steering wheel, but her number just rings out and goes to voicemail again. Damon’s sister lives in a neighbouring village. Would we get there in time?
My phone rings and I breathe a sigh of relief. “Tony! Tell me that Eliza’s with you and she’s safe.”
There’s silence for a second. “Archer, there’s been an accident. We’re trying to get them out of the car now.”
“Where are you?” I bark. I need to get to her, fast.
“We’re on dangerous corner. The car’s hit a tree on the embankment. They lost a front wheel.”
“Fucker must have loosened the wheel nuts! I’m on my way,” I growl, as I press down on the accelerator and speed up. I can’t breathe.
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