Page 28 of Relapse
“No.” Why should I explain anything to him?
“We should’ve talked about this, son.”
I’m not your son.
“Why?” I argued. “You said I could do what I wanted.”
I couldn’t help but smirk a bit when he straightened his suit jacket and let out a frustrated huff. The great Louis Kessler couldn’t argue his own words.
“I had other plans,” he explained. “Which you would’ve known if you hadn’t hung up on me.”
I knew he was pissed I hung up on him.
Wait… did he say other plans?
My eyes narrowed in on him. I may not like him much, but Lou was a sneaky bastard. The shit I’d seen him convince people to do was astounding. I kind of admired him for that.
If there was a secret out there, then Louis Kessler would find it eventually. A good skill to have in this situation. Not that I couldn’t get the information, but it couldn’t hurt to hear what he had to say.
“What kind of plans?”
“Your brother told me what happened today.”
I rolled my eyes.
Of course he did.
“Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, who better to keep an eye on the screw up than your golden boy.”
He huffed out a frustrated sigh. “No one is spying on you.”
I couldn’t hold back the snort to that claim. Part of me wanted to bring up the guy who rode his bike past Ashworth every morning at 8:17, then again at 3:23, or the three gangbangers who obviously weren’t in a gang that mysteriously appeared outside of every fight I went to.
But why bother? Besides, I liked knowing who my watchers were. How else would I be able to fuck with them, and in return, Lou.
“Whatever you say.” I waved my hand through the air and moved to step around him, but he stopped me.
“We need to talk.”
“Why?” I scoffed. “Seems to me like your real son has done enough talking for the both of us.”
I couldn’t help but notice the spark of pain in Lou’s eyes, or the way Harper’s head tipped. Forgot she didn’t know about that.
Welcome to the family secret, Freckles.
“I know you’re not particularly happy with me right now.”
There’s the understatement of the year.
“But this is important. I’ve put some things in place…” He paused to once again glance over at Harper. “Perhaps we should talk while Harper gets settled?”
He didn’t want to talk in front of Harper. I was officially intrigued. So I didn’t argue when he called Marco over to escort Harper. Nor did I say anything other than, “Make sure she’s close to me,” when they walked away.
It wasn’t that I thought Marco wouldn’t take her to the east side of the manor – which was my wing – I just didn’t want him to put her in some random room that I’d have to walk down three flights of stairs to get to. It’d be kind of hard to keep my eye on her if she was that far away. I needed to keep her close if I wanted to catch her in a lie.
“Come on, son.” Lou placed his hand on my back and steered me towards his office. “We have some things to discuss.”
When the sunhit my face, warming my skin, I wondered why Mrs. Benson hadn’t come in yet. It was her voice that woke me up every morning. She’d come in, pull open my curtains and say,‘Time to get up, child’.
