Page 182 of Wreck Me

He was dressed for work, which he’d be leaving for any moment. He was actually a lot later leaving than usual. Because of me. Well, because of him, actually. He’d made the call to put me down, then bring me back here to King Manor last night, instead of to mine and Bastian’s place. And I knew why. He was basically trying to box me in, to corner me into revealing the secret he’d figured out I’d been keeping after overhearing me talking with my asshole father that day at the convention.

All that broadness and muscle rippled and strained in his sleek black tailored suit. Even his shirt and tie were the same shimmering black, his caramel waves cascading about his face and to his shoulders providing a bold contrast. As he approached the table, he glowered at me. Damn him for looking so fucking hot and edible while he did it.

“Are you done with employing such a childish and pedestrian tactic now? The silent treatment? It’s beneath you, Caleb.”

“Beneath me, huh? Like being forcibly sedated like that out-of-control animal, Damien? Like that was supposed to be beneath me?”

“I did what was necessary.”

“Debatable,” I grunted, before taking another drag of my smoke.

He pulled out a chair right beside me and settled into it.

Then he stared at me steadily and folded his arms across his chest, making it clear he wasn’t going to allow me to weasel my way out of any of this now.

“Cas, I feel like crap thanks to the hangover from that sedative, so I’m barely functioning with more than a few brain cells online.”

“Then talk slowly. I’m a patient man.”

Dammit. “Talk? So we can get right to you benching me from Jackals ops going forward?”

“That’s not on the table.”

I frowned. “It’s not?”

“You lost control, yes. But it was a one-off. You were amped up by whatever else is going on with you, all this secrecy. It impacted you on-mission last night. Once we resolve that, the rest with stabilize.”

I stubbed my smoke out. “Fine. I hate it at Luxe.”

“You’re restless.”

“Beyond, Cas.” I shoved a hand through my hair. “And I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep going on with no direction, just floundering. I need to do something, make an impact. You were right about pushing me away from King. I’d become completely dependent on you. Every part of my life was intrinsically linked to yours, and it had gotten to an unhealthy point. But pushing me out also left me adrift, because Luxe didn’t fit well.”

“Why didn’t you come to me with this?”

“Because I needed to figure it out on my own. And I did.”

He cocked an eyebrow, all interested. “How so?” he pressed.

“I found a way to make a difference in a bigger way than we do with The Jackals, a bigger commitment, something that will really help the people we liberate beyond the initial liberation from the clutches of all those sickos.” I snatched my phone off the table, scrolled for a moment, then pulled up the business plan I’d created. I handed it to him and watched with bated breath as he took his time studying it—every little detail knowing him.

“A rehabilitation facility. Or, a series of them, it seems.”

“In a sense, yeah. And the facilities will also function as a safe place for them to retreat to before they’re ready to step back into the world.”

He handed my phone back to me and he was beaming at me, his eyes shining with excitement. “This is incredible.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely. It’s a fantastic idea and your business plan is also solid. I’m really happy for you, Caleb. I’m so happy you’ve figured out your purpose.”

“Thank you.”

“Wait. Why would you withhold this from me?”

“Because, Cas, I can’t do it here in Rossun.”

He tensed. “Why not?”

---