The Almighty Dominance (by Sunshine) novel Chapter 856

The bottle broke over Preston's head.

He went down on the white carpet of the Imperial Hall in a rain of glass, and the fat man came down after him, slowly, the way a man gets into a warm bath.

"You kicked me," he said. "In front of my friends."

He kicked Preston in the stomach. Then again, and again, until Preston curled up round his plaster arm and could not breathe.

Then the fat man put his foot on the plaster and leaned his whole weight on it. Preston screamed louder than Tyler had.

"Come and find me, you said." The fat man was laughing now, out of breath. "Well, I found you."

Nobody stopped him. Kessler watched from the white sofa as if it were a show on television. The boys looked at the floor. Alex looked at Preston, and said nothing.

When the fat man had hit Preston as much as he liked, he wiped his hands on his trousers and turned round.

Preston's girl in red was pressed against the wall with both hands over her mouth.

"And you," said the fat man. "You slapped me."

He took her by the hair, the same as in the corridor, and dragged her across the carpet to the sofa.

"You stay with me tonight."

"Let her go!" Preston tried to get up, and could not.

"That's against the law!" cried Patricia, and her voice rang round the Imperial Hall. "You can't keep people here against their will!"

"The law?" Kessler spread his hands. "Darling, in this harbour, the law is me. So now you stay too, birthday girl. All three of you. You drink with me."

"Sit down, little birds," said Carmen, and poured three glasses of wine. Her eyes were still red. "He doesn't bite. Much."

But Kessler was looking at Nora.

"And you," he said. "The Hale girl. I've heard about you. A million dollars, sweetheart. For one glass with me. Nobody has ever paid you that much for anything."

"Nobody has ever needed to," said Nora.

Kessler only smiled wider.

"Everybody has a price. Your family has one. You have one. So tell me, Miss Hale. How much? Two million? Five?"

"More than you've got."

"Smile, little birds," said Carmen. She had her own phone up now, and the little red light on the back of it was on. "Your fathers will love these. So will the papers."

"Put that down!" Patricia's voice cracked. "My grandmother is the Baroness Tiffany!"

"Then she can buy the pictures back," said Carmen. "We'll make her a good price."

Kessler picked up his own glass and smashed it on the floor.

"Now! Men get out, the rest of you! Or nobody walks out of here tonight!"

"Let's just go," a boy whispered at the back. "They won't really hurt them. Their families are rich."

Not one of them stepped forward.

"Bruce," said Kessler. "Bring me the Hale girl."

The giant came across the carpet.

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