Page 31 of Dust to Dust

"This. Is. Not. A. Game." Titan growled.

But it was a game. Everything in Lucas's life was a game he controlled. At least, that is what Lucas had made Titan, and I believe. Now, however, we got a glimpse of the truth. Lucas wasn't the game maker. He was also a player. The question was, who was more powerful than Lucas King?

"Who's the other player? Who else does Anton work for?"

Lucas waved his hand, "Let me give you a little crumpet to nibble on because all will be revealed in," He looked at his watch again, "well, now, just in a few hours." Lucas smiled. He relished holding the truth over our heads. "Anton is like a little mouse who gets to claim the whole cheese now. With each mission, you receive a reward, but with each reward, your debt grows." Lucas raised his hand and started to draw a symbol in the air repeatedly.

Ok, I think he has lost it.Ghost worriedly admitted.

Don't worry, Ghost. I can interpret crazy.

I watched the movement of his fingers and realized he was drawing an infinity symbol. "It all ends where it all starts. The deeper you get, the higher you become. The bigger the reward, the bigger the debt. Are you starting to understand it now?" He looked long and hard at Titan.

"The end is the beginning," Titan repeated Anton's words.

Lucas beamed with a proud smile. "A father gives life only to have that life take his." His words implied Lucas knew Titan's plan, the brotherhood's plan.

I lowered my gun to rest on my right knee. I still had it aimed at Lucas. I wasn't a fool. I rested my left hand on Titan's leg, urging him to be patient. As Titan promised, he let me take the lead still.

When someone loses their mind, it is best to sit back and watch. Don't try to interpret every word; that will only make you the crazy one in the end. As they spew nonsense, you pick out the parts that make sense. Like a needle in a haystack, Lucas was leaving a trail of needles.

"Did you like the pictures I sent you?" Lucas taunted, and my blood ran cold. I knew exactly what he was referring to. I always assumed it was my uncle sending me the pictures of Titan. Provoking me and ensuring my anger and hate for the Kings continued growing. It was Lucas all along. He wanted me to hate Titan. Titan was correct, and more unanswered questions started to fill my mind.

"It was you?"

Lucas glanced at Titan, "You didn't tell her?"

"I was planning on it. After I let her kill you, that is." Titan hissed. He turned to me as a pleading look covered his eyes. Lucas was trying to tear us apart again. "My father revealed he found out you were alive when you were in prison. I knew nothing before. I knew he was planning something but hadn't put it together. I wanted to get those answers today before I confronted you. I didn't want to leave you with more unanswered questions." He grasped my hand, "I should have been honest about every detail I knew."

I nodded with my eyes only so Titan knew I still had his back. Titan turned to his father with a look that made me pause. It was a look of utter nothingness. Hate that would make Satan pause for a moment, "If you try to twist my words and actions into lies, I will not let Nova use a bullet," Titan reached down to the side of his boot and pulled out a knife. He didn't need to finish his statement. Titan would make his father's death slow and painful.

Lucas nodded. His face suddenly looked older. His hair was more grey than blonde. His skin looked tired and more drawn. "I am not twisting anything. I stated a fact. You didn't tell her what you coaxed out of me in the office that day." He shrugged, faking comfort, but his eyes watched the knife in his son's hand.

Lucas shifted his attention to me again. "As you broke over the years, I had Anton watching over you, making sure the pieces of Elsa fell where I needed them. I needed you to be a stronger version of yourself for my son. Everything I have ever done is for my son." He opened the palms of his hands in a welcoming gesture, "And look at the woman you have become." He said proudly of himself.

"You destroyed a family," I hissed. Raising my gun so the bullet would shoot him directly between his eyes.

Hear him out,Ghost protested.He's still willing to talk.

My hand held a slight tremor, and my body could not keep in the fury my brain was consumed with.

"I have destroyed many things, but I wasn't responsible for killing your family, Nova. I needed your parents' business for a reason. Stepcon Tech was in the middle of a game of tug-a-war. The end is the beginning, Nova." Lucas again drew the infinity symbol: "You're father knew that before he betrayed me, turned his back onus. He still thought he could outsmart them." Lucas shook his head as he sounded like a madman.

I tried to connect some of the dots. Whatever reason Lucas kept me alive and broke me for his son had nothing to do with my parents' company or King Corporations. Instead, the riddle he kept repeating ran over my tongue."It all ends where it all starts. The deeper you get, the higher you become, the bigger the reward, the bigger the debt."It all had a juxtaposing effect. The end isn't the end, but the beginning and the beginning would eventually come to an end.

A repetition.

Infinity.

"What does that mean?" Titan growled.

Chapter 25

What Nova didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Yet my father twisted my knowledge into making Nova think I had betrayed her again. As much as Nova wanted this kill, I salivated for it.

"Start talking." I clutched the knife in my hand. It begged me to coat its blade with the warm blood of my father's. Not that death would scare my father. Dad seemed to come to terms he wasn't leaving this office alive. Dad cracked his neck and then looked back into the fire.

I eyed Nova, who was looking at me. Nova was beautiful even in this state of confusion, and she tried her best to portray a bulletproof shield of confidence. Her lips were slightly parted and still swollen from when I ravished her. Nothing and no one would come between us.

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