Page 108 of Vicious Deception

“We wanted to escape sooner, but we had to wait until we could make sure you’d be safe when we did,” Elliot says. “Ludo is good at manipulating people into believing what he wants them to believe. He’s not a good person—he’s as far from it as someone could possibly get.”

“What about your bodyguards?” Benny asks weakly.

“They were Ludo’s men making sure I didn’t try to run.”

Benny blinks rapidly, but I still see the tears he’s trying to hide. “And Mr. Axel? He was a prisoner, too, right?”

“He . . . he worked for Ludo,” Rhett says, his eyes shining with an unspoken apology. “But he also helped us escape. We wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for him.”

With a quiet sniffle, Benny shakes his head. “You’re lying.”

“He wanted you to know that he’s sorry.” The regret in Rhett’s voice matches his pained expression.

“You’re lying,” Benny yells. He stands so forcefully that he knocks his chair back, and it almost topples to the floor. “He wouldneverwork for a murderer.”

“Benny—”

“No! I don’t believe you.” He runs out of the kitchen.

“Ben,” Andrew shouts, and I wince at the harsh impatience in his tone. “You get your ass back here right now.”

“Don’t,” Rhett says. When Andrew gets up, Rhett jumps to his feet and grabs him. “Let him go.”

“He’s too old to pull shit like this. He knows better.”

“Andyoushould know better than to yell at him the way Richard does.”

Andrew’s head snaps back like he’s been slapped. “What? I’d never—”

“That’s exactly who you just sounded like,” Elliot says, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “Doubt he’s changed much since the last time we saw him.”

Oliver nods in agreement.

“He’s allowed to be upset,” Rhett says. “Just give him some time to process.”

With a sigh, Andrew flops into his chair. “He’s acting like a five-year-old.”

“No, he’s not. He’s acting like a twelve-year-old who’s been emotionally abused his whole life, recently got kidnapped, had his entire life turned upside downtwice,and just found out an adult he looked up to is a shitty person.” Elliot’s voice is hard, and just a touch of impatience bleeds through.

I expect Andrew to snap back at Elliot, but he sighs and rubs his face. Again, those conflicting feelings rise up in me. I don’t know what to think of Andrew—to be understanding of him or not. To give him room to grow or to continue being cautious of him.

Maybe it’s both.

“Ludo’s behind that door downstairs, isn’t he?” Andrew asks.

Rhett nods. “I don’t think Benny is ready for that yet.”

“Definitely not,” Andrew mutters. “Are you gonna kill him?”

Narrowing his eyes, Oliver asks, “You gonna keep your mouth shut about it?”

“Who am I gonna tell, the cops? How the fuck would I do that without admitting that I kidnapped my little brother?”

“Fair point.”

“What were you doing in there earlier, Rhett?” Elliot asks.

“Breaking his legs.” He says it so casually, like he’s talking about going on a run or grabbing a drink of water.

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