I Owe the Tyrant Four Little Heirs novel Chapter 96

“Alright, that’s enough, Jove, Keir. It’s late, go to sleep,” Niamh said quickly, ending the call before they could say anything else.

She turned to face Jareth and flinched at the look on his face.

“I’m so, so sorry, Mr. Bragg. They’re just kids, they don’t know any better. Please don’t hold it against them,” she pleaded.

Jareth’s voice was dangerously low. “Niamh, you’re something else. You have your sons fighting your battles for you now. How impressive.”

Niamh’s stomach twisted into a knot. “I’m sorry, Mr. Bragg. They’re just very protective of me.”

“Is that so?” he said. “I also heard that you curse my name when you’re doing laundry, when you’re cooking, and even when you're taking a bath.”

Niamh’s hands clenched into fists. Keir, you little traitor, she thought. You’re not helping me, you’re burying me.

She forced a tight smile. “Mr. Bragg, how could that be possible? You’ve been so good to me. I wouldn’t curse you; I’m grateful to you.”

Carmen had told her it was Mr. Bragg himself who insisted she be kept on as a janitor. And now he had promoted her to secretary. She truly should be grateful.

“You really want to show your gratitude?” Jareth asked, a strange glint in his eye.

“Yes, yes, I really do,” she replied, nodding her head vigorously.

A playful, wicked light danced in Jareth’s cold eyes. He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

“Then how, exactly, do you plan to thank me?”

Force himself on her? Was she kidding? The woman had a seriously inflated opinion of herself.

“Niamh, are you crazy? Why would I want to force myself on you? Even if every other woman in the world disappeared, I wouldn’t touch you! You’re unbelievably conceited!”

He was livid. All he had wanted was for her to have a few more drinks with him; he was curious to see what she was like when she was completely wasted. And before he could even finish his sentence, she had brained him with a bottle.

A warm liquid trickled down his forehead.

“Niamh, what are you just standing there for? Call 911 and get me to a hospital!” he yelled.

As he brought his hand down from his head and saw it was covered in blood, his mind flashed with an image of his parents, covered in blood after the crash. The world went black, and he collapsed.