Page 79 of Orion Ruined

I roll my neck, feeling the muscles popping, then crack my knuckles. This is my world now. I’ve been too lenient for too long, not wanting to imitate my father. But in order to survive, one has to take charge.

“The shithole you see behind you”–I point to the porn studio–”is gone. We’re not doing that anymore. You want to fuck a girl, go get yourself one! I’m not here to be your pimp. For years, the Vitalis made capital investments in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Why the fuck do you think I qualified as a doctor? My father started the strip club as a front for the adult industry. But that’s where it stops. I don’t want us involved in that anymore. Starting right now.”

“Hear, hear,” Uncle Jon exclaims. “I see you’ve grown some balls, Logan. Big, like your father’s. Haha!”

Others back me with noises of approval, but I notice Bobby doesn’t do shit. He just stands by the door. Fucking snitch. I should’ve killed him, too.

“Bobby, what d’you say?”

“Sure, whatever you want, Logan.”

“That’s right. This is my kingdom now, so don’t you fuckers forget it!”

I leave, and all I can think about is that I have to check for a tape of Maisy’s sister, hoping I never find it here. I head straight to the videographer’s room, where the archive is. Ronnie’s editing something and on seeing me, he stands up in alarm. He clearly saw the blood-stained glass.

“That girl that was here earlier. Do you know her?” I snarl.

“I think so, yes. She looked familiar.”

“Try to find what we have on her. Search under the name Rosey or Maisy.”

I cross my arms and tower over him as he sits back in the chair and starts searching through files on the computer.

“Um, this might take a while, Logan.”

“I have time,” I snap.

The process is lengthy and from looking at him, I think I’d do a better job. And faster. He finds a file, opens it, checks the girl’s face, and closes it, all while I watch over his shoulder. There are lots of Roseys, but only a few Maisys.

“Ronnie, think smarter, or we’ll be going through these files for years. When was the most recent one made?”

“Let me see. Hmm, it wasn’t made here, just edited here. Less than a year ago.”

“Put it on.”

The video starts, and the first thing I see is Maisy smiling, unnaturally, at the camera.

“There! That’s her! Give me the file–now!” I growl. I’m not letting him look at her a second longer.

He downloads it to a memory stick and passes it to me.

“Where else do we keep these files? Are they on a cloud?”

“Nowhere. Only in here. This room’s protected from fire and flood.”

“So we don’t have any backup?”

“Vince couldn’t afford the backup. He told me too many times.”

“Delete this file from the system,” I order.

He turns to me, looking shocked, as if he’s forgotten that my father’s dead and I can decide his fate. “We don’t do that.”

I don’t say a word. I just cock my head and stare at him, putting my hands in my pockets. Lucky for him, he remembers his place. And what’s in my pockets. Lucky for me, he doesn’t know I have no more blades in there.

“Um, sorry, Logan. I… forgot. Please, don’t kill me. Here, it’s deleted.”

“Try searching again.”

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