Page 64 of Twisted Truths

The guilt is so hard to wade through. Most of the time I can push it off, but if I happen to think about what I’m doing in his presence, I might burst out crying.

I had a small figurine in my hand earlier today, and I just couldn’t leave the room with it. My feet were cement because even knowing I can never have Obsidian since he’ll never forgive me, I still can’t steal from him. And now I have to somehow tell my brother.

Pulling the door open, I step inside and find Bastion at his usual table. Once again, he’s chatting with the bartender, but she leaves as she sees me approach.

He gets up from his seat and walks around the table to give me a hug. “How’s it going, sis?”

I return his hug then sit. “It’s going. You?”

He leans back in the chair, stretching one arm out in front of him on the table. “My sugar mama broke up with me.”

“Let me guess, you’re heartbroken?” I roll my eyes.

He chuckles. “No, but I do miss the influx of cash. And the sex was good.”

I stick my finger in my mouth and gag. “Please don’t share any details. What happened?”

Bastion shrugs. “Figured out I sold the watch she got me.”

I cringe. “That’ll do it.”

“Yeah…” He sighs as the bartender returns, setting a beer down in front of each of us.

I nod toward her retreating back. “I bet you could solve the sex portion of your issue tonight.”

His eyes watch her go back to the bar. “Yeah, if I had time, but I gotta visit your ass then jump on the red-eye home. Maybe she’ll take pity on me and let me fuck her in the back before I leave.”

“And they say romance is dead.” I bring the beer to my lips.

“Do they?” He winks and takes a pull from his own.

“How’s Dad?” Just like every week, I brace myself for whatever my brother is about to say.

“Managing to stay out of trouble.” His gaze flicks from the beer in his hand up to me and back.

Something is off, and it’s not his sugar mama breakup. He’s not telling me something. “What?”

“What what?”

My head tilts. “Stop messing around. What is it? There’s something you’re not telling me.”

He frowns. “Uma’s not happy.”

My heartbeat picks up speed. “Why isn’t she happy? We’ve been paying off Dad’s debt faster than she thought possible.”

“I think that might be the problem.” My forehead creases, and he continues. “She didn’t say anything the first time I gave her a large sum of money, but every week when I’m there, she seems more put out. She’s started asking how we’re getting all this money and why I’m the one delivering it and not you. I think she has a real hard-on for you.”

I think back to her comments about how she could use someone like me working for her. How together, we could do big things. My hand tightens around my beer. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

He shakes his head. “Hell no. The last thing we need is her sniffing around here and ruining a good thing.”

“Agreed.” My lips press into a thin line as suspicion rears its head. “Did she say anything else about me? Ask anything about me?”

He shakes his head. “No, she just wanted to know why you hadn’t been back and where the money came from. When I wouldn’t tell her, she dropped it. But I have a feeling it’s going to come up again.”

I lean over the table. “Whatever you do, do not tell her where I am. I don’t want that viper anywhere near here.”

Bastion scoffs at me. “As if.” He lifts the beer to his lips.

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