Page 46 of The Caress

Is it wrong that I’m smiling? Is it more wrong that I’m happy James is taking some of the heat off me for once? I’m sure the pendulum will swing back in my direction eventually, but for now, it’s kind of nice knowing that I’m not the only one on our parents’ shit list.

"You know I can always make a spot for you at NewsCorp, right?" I swore I’d never let my brother step foot back in our corporate offices, but that feels like so long ago. I’m not sure how much has actually changed since then, but I want to believe James can be a good, decent human at least some of the time. "There would be a few provisions in your contract, of course."

"Such as?"

He’s interested. That’s a good sign.

"A morality clause, for starters. If you even so much as glance sideways at a female employee, I’ll fire your ass and expose you in the media so fast your head will spin."

"Let me speak with my campaign manager, but," he swallows hard and stares me down. "I want to take you up on that offer. And I appreciate it, Keir. I really do."

"It’s no problem." I clap him on the back and pull him in for a half-hug. "That’s what big brothers are for, right? We should probably keep this plan to ourselves for a while, though. At least until we’re ready to go ahead with it. No sense in giving Mother a coronary."

"She’ll probably know before I even leave the property."

He says it in such a nonchalant way that his words take a second to sink in. "What do you mean? You’re not going to tell her, are you?"

"No, but," he says, cocking his head to one side. "You really don’t know?"

I don’t like where this conversation is going. I’m quickly losing my patience. "No," I say slowly, trying to tamp down the irritation that’s rising up inside me. "But you can go ahead and fill me in on what the fuck you’re talking about anytime."

Now he looks worried. "I just assumed you knew," he says, glancing back over his shoulder. "The villa is probably bugged, for starters."

"No." I shake my head. "I… no. I don’t believe that."

"Why do you think Mother keeps it in her name? Why do you think she lets you stay here?" He sighs as my mouth falls open. "Even if it isn’t—and I’m telling you, it is—there’s also the deal with your security team."

My throat is starting to close up, and my irritation instantly turns to pure anger at the mention of my security people. "What about them?"

"I swear, I thought you knew." He looks like it’s actually hurting him to say the words as he continues. "They report to Mother and Father. Everywhere you go. Every move you make. They used to report to me, too, but only because some of them were on my campaign’s payroll, if you’ll recall."

Jesus.

"What the fuck?" is all I can say. "You’ve been spying on me all this time? You’ve been in on it with them?"

"You can’t be this shocked, Keir," he says, giving me a skeptical look. "Or this stupid. Of course they’ve been keeping tabs on you. They spy on me, too. That just goes with the territory." He shakes his head. "Did you forget who your family is?"

My head is spinning. I need to sit down, but there’s nothing to hold onto out here on the beach. "I can’t believe this. I seriously had no idea."

"You didn’t question why your security guy took care of Max? You didn't wonder who gave that order, did you?"

When I don’t answer, he mouths a single word that sends a chill up my spine. "Mother."

Holy shit.

James just accused my mother of conspiracy to commit murder and implicated himself at the same time.

She had Max killed. James knew about it.

"What about Ella?" I clench my fists, ready to swing at him if he gives me the wrong answer. "Did she give that order, too?"

He holds his hands up in surrender and takes a step back. "I don’t know anything about that, Keir. I only heard about it after the fact. I swear to God I didn’t have anything to do with it."

His answer is convincing enough to save his ass for now. Barely. But it still isn’t the answer I’m looking for.

"What. About. Mom?" I ask, emphasizing each word.

"I don’t know," he says again. "You’ll have to ask her yourself. I wouldn’t, though."

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