Page 88 of The Twins

Remo

LOS ANGELES - NOW

I can’t sleep.

It’s been a while. When Grey warms my bed, I never have an issue with insomnia.

My foot taps against the grass. I’m outside, underneath the stars. Soon, they’ll disappear from my sight. It’s almost time for the sun to come up.

I’m out here chasing the sunlight because it’s that time again. I hoped my peace would last longer, but unfortunately, it ended abruptly, and now, I wrestle with my insides, the monsters that are digging themselves back up.

It takes an endless effort to drown these monsters, and I’m tired of it. When I was still responsible for my drones in the army, when I led the cyber warfare mission before that, I kept myself busy.

Since I got kicked out, I’ve been a mess.

“You have a beautiful house.” The voice comes from behind me, and it’s not one of my family members.

It’s the new kid. Grey opened up one of the guest rooms for her. She made sure the kid ate a snack, drank her water. I don’t know how, but Grey’s nurturing instinct has popped out with this client of hers.

“Thanks,” I reply, not bothering to look at her while I address her.

“I saw your record collection. It’s amazing,” she says. Her light steps come closer until she plops down next to me. I don’t reply. Grey and I have that in common, avoiding small talk at all costs. “I couldn’t sleep either. I’m sorry for intruding.”

She gets up hastily.

“You can stay,” I tell her, and she sits back down. She hasn’t changed out of her comfort clothes and her slippers. “Why did you call Grey tonight?”

That’s her cue to remain quiet.

“Do I have to talk about this?” she asks, fidgeting with her loose shirt.

I nod.

“Mr. Abbott wants things from me, but I didn’t want to give him what he wanted tonight,” she blurts out. She realizes what she just uttered, hiding her face behind her arms from me.

“Things like what?” I turn my attention away from the stars.

“I don’t know,” she mutters, shaking her head softly.

“You do,” I insist. She presses her lips together.

“I don’t.”

“What does he do to you?” I insist. “You don’t know me, and I don’t know you. I’m not going to judge you.”

“But I’ll be in trouble.” Carey frowns, lowering her gaze.

“If Grey cares about you, that means we all do—”

“What type of family are you?” she asks, shrugging.

“You can’t pull the media-trained BS on me,” I tell her. It’s been a long time, but I can remember how Andre behaved when he didn’t want to answer a question. He would distract me. “I asked you a question.”

“My mom leaves me alone at home a lot, and when she does, Hugh comes over. He plays games with me to keep me entertained. He… He sleeps in my bed afterward, and he asks for favors. And… He’s lonely, and he wants to feel like he has a family. He said that I have to let him give me babies if I want to make him feel better.”

“What—”

“I’m on birth control because the Avra channel put in my contract. I can’t get pregnant, and Hugh knows it, so we play pretend. He… He’s brought me tons of pregnancy tests, and he likes seeing me take them.”

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