Page 77 of Mind Maze

Unfortunately, she understands.

“Those videos. From earlier…” She widens her eyes. “You knew or had some sort of intuition. It’s why you took my phone.”

I’d seen how quickly obsessed she’d become over the videos.

“But Bastian sent me those. He wouldn’t…”

Oh, love, he certainly would.

“I wanted to blow something up,” she chokes out. “It made me so angry.”

“Worked like a charm,” I say softly. “You were primed because you were already someone who cared about the person delivering the news to you.”

Her eyes water, betrayal shining bright in them. “I trusted him.”

I take her hands and kiss the tops of each one. Sharing this knowledge with her feels right. It’s nice not to be alone with all this madness.

“You should probably stop doing that, love,” I say to her with a grim smile. “I’m the only one you can trust now.”

Romy

Why would Bastian do that to me?

The more I learn of my brother, the more I wonder if I ever truly knew him. He’s not the guy I’d built him up to be in my head. He’s a liar. At least you know where you stand with Dad because he’s a prick to your face. Bastian will lie straight to your face while giving you puppy dog eyes.

The manipulation I’ve endured my entire life is a weight clamped around my ankle. No matter how hard I try to fight against it so I can break the surface and breathe, their tactics threaten to pull me back under.

Is Caius my lifeline?

He just proposed, and while I get that the timing was to rescue us from the strange music and to alert others, he still bought the ring in advance.

Why?

Could he have known this moment would happen or was he saving it for a rainy day?

I’d be delusional to think that he wants to get hitched after a few romps in the bed with me. It was good sex, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t life changing.

There was a reason he bought that ring.

Something to further his agenda.

I can’t forget he was a part of a family who kidnapped me, screwed with my mind, drugged me, and assaulted me.

Being in his arms makes it difficult to think of anything other than him. His scent clings to me, a constant reminder of this man’s effect on me.

Besides all that, though, I also have to remember he’s saved me a lot. Tonight alone he’s come to my rescue several times. It’s possible the lines truly are blurred for him like they are for me.

Good.

At least I’m not alone.

“He’s not a hero,” Caius says, pity in his words. “Did you see he was wearing earplugs?”

What?

I gape at Caius. “No. That would mean…”

Bastian knows about the music.

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