Page 111 of Doubts of the Egoist
His heart flipped, then tripled its rhythm. Following the odd, sucking sensation, he doubled back, now jogging toward the mansion. It took him a long fifteen minutes to reach the cars parked by the main entrance. Crowded beside the giant Knight XV, Yugo’s black, nondescript car looked like a child’s toy.
He stared at it for a long moment, weighing whether to use the front entrance or back stairs to avoid an unpleasant encounter with Yugo’s business partner. But a low whimper and a tiny bark made him lean over the warm hood and peer through the windshield.
“Chaos? Wrath?” Kuon called, and the nearest puppy perked up from the slobbery steering wheel, observing him with curious, shiny eyes. “What the hell is going on?”
Gritting his teeth, Kuon stormed into the mansion.
CHAPTER 31
The door flewopen and slammed into the wooden wall before bouncing back onto Tobias’ palm. Without a greeting, he stomped over to the bar, grabbed a water bottle, and downed its contents.
His usually edgy aura sparked with irritation while he stomped toward the desk. He hooked his foot under the rolling base of the guest chair, rolled it over, and slumped down onto it. Resting his elbow on the armrest, he leaned his head into his hand, covering one eye with his palm. His other eye pierced Yugo with a fierce glare. Dark shadows lay across his face, revealing Tobias’ age. A strand of hair above his left ear curled like a tiny devil’s horn. His dark gray linen shirt had sweat stains on the chest and underarms, and looked as if it had never been ironed. A dried drool stain marred the front of his shirt, where the hem looked chewed-up and spat out.
Yugo waited, letting his guest start the inevitable conversation while annoying him with a heavy silence. Tobias’ toothy grin told Yugo he had failed.
Tobias blinked owlishly at Yugo, snorted. His blond head lifted from his palm, then he tapped beneath his eye with a finger. “Aye, aye? Looking good, Yugo. Nice shiner.”
Yugo squinted at his guest, unimpressed by the petty remark about his glaring bruises.
“You know, your request vexed me, but now I’m glad I came.”
Greg, who was leaning against the wall next to thedoor, raised a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat, signaling to Tobias that this was no time for jokes, or perhaps stifling a chuckle. Either way, the blond’s expression cleared of amusement.
Creepy, whitish eyes with pinpoint pupils settled on Yugo. “How much do you know already?”
“Assume I know everything, but start from the beginning. Don’t skip any details just because you think I know nothing.” Yugo picked up the lighter, twirled it with practiced ease, then stopped its spin with a tap on the desk. The smooth, rectangular lighter was as addictive to his fingers as a fidget spinner to a teenager.
Spin and tap. Spin and tap again.
Tobias winced, then lifted his chin toward the silver lighter. “Can you stop doing that? Annoying.”
Yugo spun the lighter again before slamming it down on his desk with a loud thump. Tobias’ pupils shrank further as he scowled. That expression suited Yugo’s mood much better. He clenched the lighter in his fist and leaned back in his chair.
They held each other’s gaze for a moment, before Tobias yawned widely, flashing his molars. Yugo hurled the lighter at his guest’s chest. It bounced off his ribs, eliciting a painful ‘oof’ and a chuckle. Tobias picked up the silverrectangle from his lap, spun it between his nimble fingers, and tapped it against his armrest. “I hope you realize I’m not giving it back.”
“Start speaking already. Your theatrical pause is dragging on.”
“Fine.” Tobias grinned, but his attention wandered across the desk and settled on the pile of papers. The chair creaked ashe leaned forward, scooped up the papers, and leafed through them. With a hum, he dropped the papers back onto the desk, turned in his chair, and looked over his shoulder at Greg. “You’re really quick. I thought I’d gotten rid of them all. How did you find out so quickly?”
“Luck.” Greg shrugged, but the corners of his wide mouth hooked up. Yugo tilted his head, eyeing his right-hand man. Greg looked pleased with himself and the fact that he’d managed to impress Tobias.
“Ahhh, Puppy. Yeah, my mistake. I should have thought of him.” Tobias’ lopsided smile caused small laugh lines to appear under his eyes.
“You can catch up later,” Yugo said, raising his voice a fraction as he sat forward. The edges of his hands rested on the polished wood, fingers steepled. “It’s a bad idea to annoy me right now, Tobias.”
The blond man turned his head toward the desk. He sighed, then held up a palm in a reassuring gesture, deflecting Yugo’s silent question. “I have nothing to do with this.”
“The rifle was in your possession.” Yugo lowered his chin, brows knitting together.
“I don’t deny that. Still, I have nothing to do with this.”
“Who then?” Yugo tilted his head to the side.
“Well…” Mirroring the tilt of his head, Tobias said with eerie satisfaction, “You.”
“Me?” Yugo’s voice pitched as he held back a chuckle. “Care to elaborate?”
“You forced us to live together, hoping that one day wewould bond. You taught him that it’s safe to steal from me. Reap what you sow, Yugo.” Tobias spun the lighter again.
