Page 56 of Mind Maze

When my family isn’t doing twisted shit, moments like these where we dine and laugh, are memorable and cherished to me. It reminds me of when I was a kid. Mom always made the best breakfast and Dad always ate with such enthusiasm.

“I found a dress shop nearby,” Theo says after polishing off the rest of his food in record speed. “Kaitlyn will need something fancy for the president’s ball. I made an appointment with a stylist there to have some selections ready for her to try on.” Then, to our niece, he says, “You ready to wear a princess dress like your dolls?”

After that question, Kaitlyn abandons her half-eaten pancake to squeal with excitement. Dad smirks and waves them on. Once they leave and we’ve finished eating, I flag the waitress over to clean off our table. After she refills our coffee, I slide onto the other side of the booth across from Dad.

“Are you okay, Son? Something’s going on inside that head of yours this morning.”

There’s no way I’m telling him I’m obsessing over my sweet, sexy captive.

“Yeah. Just wondering what Bastian is saying to Romy. He showed up this morning looking like a kicked puppy.”

“Oh yeah?” He sips his coffee and leans closer. “Do tell.”

I’m wondering exactly how much Idotell. Dad obviously knows she must be upset about it. Her own brother worked with him to obtain Megan through CUP. It must feel like a betrayal to her. It would for me if I were in her shoes.

“Romy is tough. She’s not letting him get away with it.” I lift my mug and inhale the familiar scent.

Dad leans back in his seat, studying me. “She should be docile by now, Son. When you took over on this problem, I expected more results.”

He’s right.

When I stood by her bedside after Theo had taken her, I vowed I’d make it all better. At that time, I had every intention of doing that. Hell, I tried through various means. Unfortunately, like some subjects, Romy doesn’t respond like the usual candidates.

Plus, you’re lenient on her. You like her. You’ve given up on trying to rewire her brain.

He doesn’t need to know that part.

“I’m still working,” I lie.

“You have a tell,” Dad says before taking another sip of coffee. “You have always tried so hard to keep your feelings bottled up, but you have tells. It’s your eyes. They’re incredibly revealing.”

“Dad…”

“No,” he says softly, holding up a hand. “You’ve gotten too involved with the Langston girl and you know it.”

“It’s all an act.” I shrug my shoulders and feign cool indifference. “My priority is our family. This is all a power play.”

Unconvinced by my lies, Dad affixes me with a firm stare. “I think we should send her to the lab. Run the full gamut on her. I’ll even work with her one-on-one.”

My blood pressure rises at the thought of Romy strapped to one of the restraining chairs, forced to watch and endure things meant to break her mind. I realize I’m squeezing the handle of my mug so hard it’s begun to shake, sloshing hot coffee all over the table. With a little too much force, I set it on the tabletop with a loud clank.

Dad’s expression never changes. He’s watching every detail and I’ve given him quite the show.

“Son,” he says with a gentle smile, “I’ll return her back to you. Minus all her defects.”

She is not defected.

She’s perfect the way she is.

Of course my fucking face reveals all of that to him.

“Dad,” I rush out, exasperation in my tone. “Give me time. Please. I don’t ask for anything. Ever.”

Okay, so now I sound like the spoiled kid.

Whatever works.

He doesn’t respond at first. When he does, it’s not an agreement. “When you were a teenager, I wanted so badly to see emotion from you. I knew deep inside, you wanted something. I’d told you I couldn’t give it to you—that you’d have to take what I teach you and do it yourself. All these years later, you still haven’t asked. I’m surprised, is all. What about her?”

---