Page 41 of Psyop Kings

His eyes dart away for a millisecond before latching back on me. “San Francisco. You like it better than LA.”

He’s lying.

My heart rate practically trips over itself. I’m not in New York and not in San Francisco. So where am I?

“Any chance you can run and get me a pumpkin pie frappe?”

“There aren’t any close by.” His eyes bore into me. “But we can make one here. You know that.”

I don’t know that. But what I do know is he was telling the truth that there aren’t any coffee places nearby. Since coffee shops are everywhere, we must be away from the city. We’re in amassive hotel, though. People don’t build hotels in the middle of nowhere unless there’s something worth visiting.

“I should call my brother,” I say to him, watching his expression intently. “Can you get my phone?”

“He knows you’re fine.” Again, the slight movement in his eyes. “But yeah, you can call him when you’re back to normal.”

Gareth is a liar.

But he’s nicer than the other men around here. I can continue to work on him.

“Once my memories come back, will I be free again?” I ask, giving him my most innocent look.

He grins. “Of course, Ro. We’re just trying to keep you safe.”

“Your father doesn’t feel that way,” I counter, bitterness in my tone. “He was quite amused that I almost died today.”

His gaze darkens. “Dad is just…different.”

“You’re all his sons, but you look nothing like him.”

The humor on his face is wiped away. “We’re his sons. We share the same last name.”

“But he’s not your blood,” I continue to probe. “Admit it.”

Again with the eye darting. “Better not let Caius hear you talking like that.”

“Like what?” I ask, dropping the friendly mask. “Pointing out that something fishy is going on with you all?”

“There’s nothing fishy going on,” Gareth mutters. “You’re just confused.”

A sudden chill washes over me when I sense the presence of another. Gareth jumps to his feet with incredible speed. He shifts from foot to foot as though he’s nervous or guilty or both. I glower at the man standing in the bathroom doorway.

Caius Crowne.

He wears dark gray slacks, expensive black leather shoes, and a white button-down shirt sans tie. His sleeves have been rolled up his forearms, revealing intricate tattoos from his wristspast the material. It makes me wonder if it’s a full sleeve or if it stops at the elbows.

Dark eyes ignore me completely to face off with his younger brother. I sense some sort of beef between them. If I could figure out what it is exactly, I could dissect it and use it to my advantage.

“Is there a reason why you’re bathing my girlfriend?” Caius demands, voice low and threatening. “You wouldn’t be taking advantage of her situation now, would you?”

Gareth barks out a laugh. “Don’t be a dumbass. Everyone knows she’s yours.”

I want to chime in and shout that I belong to nobody, but the tension emanating from both of them has me keeping my trap shut.

“Come on, little girl, time to go.” Caius tears his gaze from his brother to land on me. “Get up.”

Panic rushes through me and I shake my head in vehemence. “Not with you in the room.”

Caius’s nostrils flare. “I’ve seen everything plenty of times.” He turns his head to glower at Gareth. “He better have seen nothing.”

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