Page 7 of Mind Maze

I’d like to think that if I explained the situation to Dad, he’d forgive me and be understanding. It’s not like he didn’t know Gareth’s issues. However, my losing control and potentially exposing our family is something that is unforgivable. Too much is at stake.

Dad and Theo drift into a conversation about Gareth when he was a teenager. Their laughter should warm my frigid heart, but it doesn’t. My thoughts keep drifting back to the yacht.

Romy has complicated everything.

Sure, she was my ticket into getting closer to Solomon, and that worked, but in return, she jeopardized everything.

She spied on him in his office, for fuck’s sake.

It takes everything in me not to grit my teeth and fist my hands. I’ve spent the better part of a dozen years perfecting my control on my emotions. While the boiling fury never truly goes away, I’ve learned how to keep it stuffed deep down inside me so that no one ever sees its explosive radiance.

Romy saw the real me.

Like I said. She complicates everything.

There’s something about her that stirs up my torturous feelings. At times, I want to—and have—pop off on her, revealing my carefully hidden anger. Other times, I get lost in this false narrative of her being my girlfriend. We both know its bullshit, yet we keep getting swept up in the lies.

So when I saw my brother fucking raping her, I lost it.

Now he’s dead and I’m having to do major cleanup.

Disgust knifes its way through me, nearly causing me to jolt with pain. I’ve worked so hard for so long to find Calista and all my efforts are likely ruined. Solomon sure as hell isn’t going to want to open up to me now that I’ve got the police eyeballing him under a microscope. Accident or not, a man died after having been on his yacht. He’s probably pissed.

Not like I stuck around long enough to find out.

I got Romy the hell out of there as quickly as I could.

“Something on your mind?” Dad asks, turning his attention my way.

It’s then I realize I’m tense and popping my knuckles. I relax my muscles and meet his gaze with an impassive stare.

“Just wondering about the blowback from Gareth’s stupid, drunken mistake,” I clip out, making sure to show just enough annoyance to be believable.

Theo huffs, a flash of anger crossing his features. “Not everything is a power play, Cai,” he barks out. “Sometimes you can live in your feelings a little bit. You should try it sometime.”

Before I can smart off, Dad holds up a hand. “Boys. No need to argue. We’re all upset, but clawing at each other’s throats won’t bring Gareth back.”

Who the hell wants to bring him back?

Wisely, I keep that retort trapped in my mouth.

“I just question Solomon’s loyalty,” I say instead. “Gareth’s untimely death brought attention on Solomon. You know how he is.”

Dad nods. “Solomon can be angry all he wants, but he’s merely an investor. He doesn’t pull the strings around here.”

Whodoespull the strings?

This feels like a morsel of truth I’ve never been given before. Probing Dad on it could only shine light on my interest thus having him withhold it. I must tread lightly here.

“Distract him with shiny toys,” Theo offers, demeanor once again calm.

By toys, he means girls.

Girls he can rape, torture, and murder.

“Nah,” Dad says, shaking his head. “Ignore him altogether. I’ve let him have his fun in thinking he’s a part of the future of CUP, but between us, he was never truly a part of that plan.”

I pretend not to be shocked by this news. Theo has a harder time hiding his reaction. Dad’s grin turns wolfish. He’s always taken great satisfaction in throwing surprises our way. On the surface, he wants us to work as a team, but in reality, he’s making many, many moves in the background. I’ve been trying for so long to figure out what those moves are.

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