Page 16 of Mind Maze

I’m suddenly wishing I’d have taken my phone back from Caius. I wouldn’t mind doing a deep dive on our president right about now. If Dad and Caius both care about the subject, I feel as if I should be well-versed as well so I can survive in either of their worlds. Not that Dad would ever allow for me to scroll my phone at the dinner table.

God, I really miss college. Life was simpler before I met Megan and everything got monumentally screwed up. I had freedom from the chains of my real life and had yet been dragged into the captivity of the Crownes.

Eva and Rosie are near the doorway, discussing wine options to go with dinner. I could excuse myself and do a quick hunt in my bedroom so long as they didn’t turn it into a workout room or something.

“Excuse me,” I say quickly. “I need to use the restroom. Be right back.”

Neither man spares me a glance. I hurry out of the dining room and then down the hall to my bedroom. Relief floods through me when I push through the door and see everything exactly as I’d left it. Well, not exactly since I took anything that meant something to me off to college, but my furniture, decorations, and even some clothes remain. Most importantly, my desk and computer are right where I left them.

The closet sits ajar and I purposefully ignore the call of it. Even after the nightmares stopped, I still found comfort in that closet. In fact, I cried for a bit in that very closet days before I was set to leave for California. I’d been nervous and afraid of the unknown. The closet was just…safe.

I make it to my desk and after a little wiggling of the mouse, the screen comes to life. After signing in, I whip open the internet browser. I’m tempted to check my emails—the real inbox and not the spoof one they put on my phone—but decide this takes precedence.

Finding information on Dr. Huxley isn’t difficult. He’s the president, after all. But I’m not concerned with his biography or his achievements. I want to know how he’s connected to both my father and the Crownes. Caius, from all appearances, seems to be a fan, not a friend. However, he’s also a liar. He could beacting dumb, trying to get my father to spill information. Or is he truly interested in the man?

It’s not difficult to find my father’s connection to him. Dad is pretty much the king of television and news media. A politician like Dr. Huxley would be on the news often. Their circles would easily run together. In fact, Dad’s probably attended many events over his lifetime where Dr. Huxley was also in attendance.

But the Crownes?

How do the men behind the Crowne Unity Project tie in with the President of the United States?

My search doesn’t yield anything telling right away. I’ll have to continue the search later. I’m about to close out the search window when I feel a presence looming behind me.

The closet.

First instinct is to scramble over there.

With a barely suppressed mewl, I spin in my chair, eyes on the ajar closet door. I nearly trip over my feet in my effort to rush over to it. Before I make it, a large form stops me and grabs me by the biceps. I’m jerked a few times, hard and insistent, until I snap out of the fear clawing at me from the inside out.

Dark eyes.

Familiar.

Safe.

Caius.

All tension floods out of me and my knees buckle. He has to catch me before I collapse to the floor. I’m brought to his chest, where I inhale his manly scent and take solace in his arms.

“Romy,” Caius practically growls. “What the hell just happened?”

I don’t particularly care if he knows I was looking up Dr. Huxley. What I do care about is him seeing the terror I bury deepinside me. Maybe if I just cling to him forever, I’ll never be forced to answer his question.

“Romy.”

The irritation in his tone has increased, but it doesn’t scare me. This man has done awful things to me and yet I’m not truly afraid of him. Not like…

“Ro-laaaaaaa.”

No. Don’t think about—

“Romy.”

Hard fingers bite into my jaw, twisting and angling until my head is forced to look up at him. Him. Caius. Not the monster. Deep brown eyes flare with fury fissured with concern. Concern? He’s worried. Since when does Caius Crowne worry about me?

Since he murdered his own brother for you…

For his secret. For Calista.

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