Page 95 of Hate Me

I rolled my eyes. “There are no games. It’s actually what I came in here to talk to you about.” I sat up against the headboard. “I know about your deal with Damien.”

“Well, you’ve certainly honed your instincts while you were away.”

“It’s not so much about that, but thanks. It’s because I know you, Cas. You finally got the opportunity to drive Damien out of the city when Bastian lost his temper and his lax and cautious approach he had concerning his brother went out the window, so you no longer had to toe the line and operate within the restrictions he’d insisted upon when it came to dealing with Damien. So, bringing him back here? Yeah, I knew something was up, that it was more than just a case of enough time passing that he’d calmed down, and also with Bastian being in a better place.”

“All very well deduced.”

“Yeah, well, I also deduced that Bastian doesn’t know a thing about this, in spite of your apparent transparency agreement.”

“This is different.”

“How?”

“You know how Damien operates. If he’s given an inch, he’ll take a mile.” He grimaced with obvious pain for me as he said, “You experienced that up far too close and personal very recently.”

I swallowed down the bitter taste of that last part—there was no fucking way we were discussing that, or even talking about it again. As far as I was concerned it was done, nothing bad had come of that night, it had all worked out well in the end. Given that was my stance, it should be his too. Jesus, he really couldn’t let things go sometimes. Whenever there was an injustice against us or any perceived slight, he went in hard to rectify it. It was the last thing I wanted this time around. He’d overreacted anyway. Majorly.

Staying on track, I said, “You’re worried Bastian knowing about this help Damien is giving you will have him wanting to repair their relationship?”

“He already wavered where that’s concerned a few weeks ago when he caught sight of Damien watching him, smiling at him too.”

“I know you’re trying to protect him, but it is actually Bastian’s call if he wants to fix things with his brother, Cas. Not yours.”

“I was too lax last time and look what happened.”

“That was then.”

He rolled his eyes. “You really think Damien has changed then? Is that why you’re taking this stance?”

“Perhaps.”

“He can’t, Caleb. It’s not in his makeup.”

“You don’t know that for certain. You’re going off patterns and previous behavior and actions. That doesn’t always accurately predict future behavior and outcomes.”

“Approaching it any other way invites risk.”

“Bastian is stronger now, the risk therefore lessened.”

“He’s already dealing with Skylar’s return and the sucker punch of an emotional impact that it has been for him.”

“And he’s doing well with it, handling it.”

“All the more reason not to burden him with anything else.”

“I think he can take it.”

He started shaking his head. “You don’t understand.”

I pushed off the bed and stormed up to him. “Well, that’s really fucking insulting.”

He held up his hand as he stared up at me from the foot of the bed. “I meant you don’t have the full picture.”

I cocked an eyebrow.

He shoved a hand through his caramel waves. “Damien has also been Skylar’s font of information regarding Jett’s movements.”

“What? He’s a triple agent?”

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