Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
“He doesn’t give a fuck about his wife.”
“If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have made her live in a goddamn gilded cage.”
“He got her expelled from the society, Jude.”
“That’s his idea of protection. I know because I’m having the same thoughts. Guess I’ll have to test the theory.”
“Don’t. It’s risky.”
“I have to take my chances.”
A mumble of voices follows, Jude ignoring his brother’s assistant and then shouting, “Everyone out!”
The shuffle of feet, murmurs, and then Julian’s clear voice. “You need to quit your punch-first-and-ask-questions-later habits. They’re a disgrace to the Callahan name.”
“I’m going to show you the actual disgrace, big bro.”
“Jude, don’t,” I say in a tight voice. “I didn’t mean it’s risky as in it might not work. It’s risky because it could work. Threatening Julian will only make him more antagonistic.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” he spits out.
“Let me talk to him.”
“I can handle this.”
“No, you can’t. Pass Julian the phone. Do us both a favor and let me do the talking.”
There’s a low curse before his voice sounds far away. “It’s Kane. He wants to talk to you.”
I tap my finger on the steering wheel as Julian’s clear voice echoes in my car. “What can I do for you, Davenport?”
“The real question is, what else can you do to grow the Callahan empire?”
“Are we having a business talk?”
“Nothing that different from what you had with Grant.”
“You’re far behind, kid. Besides, I’m disappointed in you.”
“Disappointed?”
“You brought a liability into our midst. A little girl with several tricks up her sleeve and shady motivations that could sabotage our ways. You either allowed her to perform DNA tests on you and your teammates, or you weren’t aware, which is even worse.”
My fingers tighten until I’m sure I’ll break the steering wheel. I knew Julian was in the know about everything that goes on in the Callahan facilities, but I didn’t think he’d care about a nameless campus lab.
“Grant is correct,” Julian continues. “I had extremely high hopes for you, especially after watching your behind-the-scenes methodical modus operandi. However, you allowed a mere fucking girl to topple it all to the ground.”
“Not all.”
“Oh?”
“You think I’d hand Grant everything in my arsenal? That I’d remain defenseless? Me, of all people?”
“Good for you. However, I still have no interest in internal conflict. I have my own to take care of.”
“Then stay out, completely, and I promise, whatever the outcome, you won’t be a loser.” I pause. “You know Grant’s temper. You’re well aware of his failing business decisions lately, due to which he had to cut funding for your new experimental drug.”
“His failing business decisions don’t compare to your massive loss of judgment.”
“It’s not a loss of judgment. It’s part of a plan.”
“What plan?”
“Let Violet go. And we might discuss this further.”
“Good one. Unfortunately, however, Violet is a family issue now, as it affects my brother.”
“Let’s go outside,” Jude says from the other end. “We’ll fight it out.”
“I have no intention of throwing fists. What an uncultured motherfucker. It’s an embarrassment to call you my brother.” Julian sighs, then tells me, “If I see a manifestation of your plan, I might consider backing off. But that’s all I can offer. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Jude is going to punch me and I need to break his arm.”
Beep. Beep. Beep.
“Fuck!” I hit the steering wheel but take a deep breath.
It’s useless to try to convince Julian with words anyway. If he wants action, then so be it.
An hour of reckless driving later, I arrive at my parents’ house and nearly hit the entrance.
The late-night air is suffocating. To think I had the best time of my life not twenty-four hours ago, and now I’m back to this absolute shithole is fucking revolting.
As soon as I get out, I spot a slim silhouette walking back and forth by the massive front door. Upon seeing me, Helena charges toward me.
Her night robe clings to her frail body and her eyes are sunken, dark circles surrounding them like bottomless pits.
“Kane, honey, don’t go in.”
I stop and stare down at her bony hand clutching my arm. “Let go, Mother.”
She adds another hand, digging her nude nails into my black jacket, shaking her head. “I heard Samuel call you. You shouldn’t have come back. You…shouldn’t be here.”
“I shouldn’t be here? Then where should I be? Hiding? Burying my head in the sand? Being you?”
“You don’t understand. If you go in there, he’ll torture you.”
“Something I’m extremely familiar with, but she’s not, Mother!”
She flinches, her cheeks losing all color.
This is the first time I’ve raised my voice at her. I might have kept my distance from my mother, but I’ve treated her cordially, with respect, as expected of me.
Now, though? I turn around and grab her by her shoulders and shake her. Hard.
“She defended you, Helena! Even after she knew you stood by and watched while the man you chose to have a kid with tortured that kid. She said you must’ve been helpless. You must’ve tried to stop it but couldn’t. She said you’re mentally fragile and couldn’t handle this type of life, so you withdrew as a defense mechanism. She gave you the benefit of the doubt. She begged me to be kinder to you, to not forget and erase you. She asked if you and I could turn over a new leaf. I started seeing you from her perspective. Through her eyes. Because she lost her mother at a young age, she has these rosy concepts about mothers and affection, so I shouldn’t have listened to her warped logic. But I still came by, didn’t I? I still conformed to the benefit of the doubt she gave you. And now you’re asking me to let her be tortured and watch? I’m not you, Mother. Do you understand?”