Page 78 of The Puppetmaster

I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to believe. I want to trust him so badly and I want his words to be true, but I’m still so shaken up about everything that I can’t let myself simply be wrapped up by the warm and soothing promise that comes with his assertion.

“But how did you know about the guy back then?” I want to know, tilting my head to the side as I regard him with a probing look. “How could you possibly know about that?”

“Because I was there,” he says, his black eyes fixed on mine. “It was when I was trying to stop the drug from ever becoming a reality, and his case was reported to me, because his heart gave out while he was on a trial taking that drug. He was only the second case ever reported to us, and the first one was made to disappear by the rival company before we could get our hands on it. I didn’t want to let that happen again, so I flew in myself and—”

“You saw me?” I ask, horrified at the realization. “You were at the hospital?”

“Yes,” he says, nodding. “After I paid a visit to the guy and made sure his records were sent to us, I heard about how he ended up there in the first place.”

Raad pauses, chuckling before he adds: “And when they told me that he was beat up by a girl, I couldn’t believe it. I had to see what kind of girl was able to successfully defend herself against an attack like that. And then I saw you.”

He pauses again, a solemn expression gracing his handsome face as he looks at me.

“You were so beautiful,” he says. “So vulnerable and small, yet still exuding that fierce strength, even while lying unconscious in a hospital bed. I had to know who you were. I had to learn more about you. So I did.”

“You… stalked me?”

He laughs, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t call it stalking, Alena. I looked you up. I learned your story. And I knew I would want to see you again. I knew I needed to make you mine. So I made sure you were taken care of and would not only stay in the city, but also become acquainted with The Velvet Rooms and… the Puppetmaster.”

“What-What did you do?”

“I made sure you’d get a well-paying job in the city, so you would stay in Boston.”

“You…what? You made Mr. Hammond hire me?” I blurt out.

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. He has planned all of this for like three years? He took control of my life like that without me ever knowing?

“Kind of,” Raad admits. “He owed me one, so he promised to hire you under the promise that you were my responsibility—and that you would stop working for him once I called you in as my final puppet.”

“C-C-Called me in?” I stutter. “But that…never happened?”

“Because you quit your job ahead of time, remember?” he says, arching an eyebrow at me. “I didn’t plan for that to happen, so I had to adjust.”

“Oh…” I manage. “So that night of the hunt, you didn’t expect to see me?”

“I only learned about it a few hours before,” he affirms. “But once I saw you there, once I knew that you were ready to become mine… I just had to go for it.”

“Is that why my share is so much bigger than all the others?” I ask, now realizing that my name is the last on the list he gave me, and the percentage of my shares is much bigger than the ones listed above. “Because you had planned for other puppets before me?”

The thought of him with other women stings at my chest now—as does the idea that I was just one name among many.

“Yes,” he affirms. “You were always meant to be the last one.”

Our eyes meet, and I’m not sure what to read in dark depths of his.

“So… you want me to leave then?”

He looks at me, seemingly indignant at the question.

“Why would you say that?”

“I just thought…” I stutter, fiddling with my fingers. “You no longer need me. Now that the shares have been purchased and everything is done. You said it yourself—I was the last one and I served my purpose.”

His lips curve up in a soft smile when he looks at me, very gently shaking his head as he lifts his finger to caress my chin. “I said you’ll leave when I’m done with you.”

“Yes, but aren’t you—”

“No, I’m not,” he insists. “You’re staying, Alena.”

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