Page 73 of Breakaway

“Explain,” I demand, unable to keep the gruffness from my voice.

“We have reason to believe that at least one of them is in contact with Ada Stillwater.” The fact that Mia even knows her name is telling. I never mentioned it over lunch, and though it’s public record and could easily be found, I highly doubt Mia went in search of it just to fabricate some far-fetched story to scare me into rethinking my romantic entanglements. “We’re trying to get access to the visitor logs at her treatment facility, but we don’t want to spook them or give them any reason to believe the new person they've granted access to is actually a mole.”

“Does O’Connor know about this?” I question heatedly. If he does and didn’t bother to tell me, I’ll hand him my two-week notice without a second thought.

“No.” Mia shakes her head aggressively. “And you can’t tell him. The only people who know are the three of us and…” she hesitates, biting her lip nervously. I raise an eyebrow, demanding she finish her sentence. “The Deputy Director of the FBI.” You could hear a pin drop from how intense the silence is following that revelation.

“I’m sorry.” I shake my head in confusion, trying to understand the string of words she just voiced. “Did you say the Deputy Director of the FBI?” Mia nods solemnly.

“Deputy Director Denvers was recently sworn in, so he’s fairly new to the job. Prior to his promotion, it seems that one of the defense attorneys, Jerod Cantmeir, was already on his radar for possible racketeering, so he’d like to see the investigation through. Based on the information that Bel was able to extract, it appears that whoever’s in touch with Ada is also passing along the information they’re gathering to said attorney. There are message threads within the group that heavily imply he’s paying them for any incriminating footage they’re able to capture or manufacture. He doesn’t seem to care if it’s legitimate, as long as it sows discord and breeds doubt amongst the jurors.”

“Since when did small-town Chaplain become a hub for criminal activity?” I stare at my sister in complete bewilderment, shocked at the direction our conversation has taken. “And how, exactly, did you become aware of the Deputy Director’s involvement?” I ask, curious to know how they’ve gained the confidence of such a high-ranking official and how their paths crossed to begin with.

“He followed the same thread that Bel did, but instead of alerting them to his presence by poking around too much, he poked at Bel.” Mia shrugs her shoulders, like this is just another day in the life for the esteemed Belmont Astor. “After discovering who he was, Denvers concluded that he was likely working on behalf of one of Veritas’ victims, and his involvement could benefit them both. He reached out and wants Bel to lay low, remain a part of the Discord group, and relay anything involving Jerod Cantmeir.” I press my fingers to my temples, trying to ward off the migraine that’s rapidly approaching the more twisted this becomes.

“So the FBI has two coinciding investigations taking place within Chaplain County,” I surmise, talking out loud and trying to wrap my head around how tangled this has gotten. “And clearly Belmont confided in you because in order for him to remain a part of said group and not raise suspicions, he needs to be useful. Which means he’ll need more fodder, in the form of private photographs that he’s expecting you to take? Am I missing anything?” The menace in my voice grows with every word.

“No, that pretty much sums it up,” Mia deadpans.

“Fuck!” I swear, slamming the side of my fist against the unforgiving brick. The pain ricocheting up my arm barely even registers. “What do I say to that, Mia? You want my consent to take pictures of my girl and me for the express purpose of trying to tear apart her character?” Like fuck am I doing that to Andi. Deputy Director or not, he can figure out another way to get Cantmeir without sacrificing Andi’s reputation.”

“You’re not getting it, Raiden,” Mia huffs in annoyance. “They already had photos. We added a few innocent shots to the mix, so it appears that Bel is bringing something to the table.”

“What photos?” I question, praying to whoever’s listening that Andi’s privacy hasn’t been violated in the worst way possible.

“The blond one and her at some work site with the toddler in tow. The teacher and her on a football field, his hands cradling her stomach and looking like the quintessential picture of a loving family. The half-naked man prancing through her door at all hours of the night. Then there’s you and her, leaving the precinct through the back entrance, and plenty more that show you touching one another affectionately,” Mia states, her tone firm but apologetic. “It paints a pretty damning picture, Raiden. Personally, I couldn’t care less what you choose to do in your personal life. I know you, little brother. You’d never jump into something so life-changing without giving it adequate thought. I’ll always support you, even if I don’t understand the appeal of sharing your girlfriend. I mean, I get the advantage for her, but as for the four of you…” she trails off, a smirk curving her lips, and adds, “Unless?”

“Unless what?” I voice, afraid to know where she’s going with this.

“Are you and the guys involved as well?” she questions bluntly, head tilting to the side as she ponders if I’ve suddenly taken a liking to men.

“Get fucked, Mia.” I shove my middle finger in her direction, hammering home the point. “I can assure you, there’s absolutely zero sexual tension between us. We’ve barely gotten to the point of tolerating one another for extended periods of time.”

“Just asking.” She holds her hands up innocently, barely biting back a smile. I roll my eyes at her poorly repressed need to get a rise out of me. I exhale roughly, knowing the playful moment is coming to an end when she squares her shoulders. “They haven’t gone public yet, Raiden. Why is that, you think?” she prods, then forges on before I can formulate a response. “They’ve got dozens of pictures at their disposal, and while they aren’t necessarily salacious, they could certainly be presented in a way that would make the public question how innocent Andilyn Adams truly is.”

“What’s your opinion then? Why do you think they’re keeping quiet when there’s plenty of noise they could be making?” I ask, genuinely curious to hear Mia’s perspective.

“From a lawyer’s standpoint, I think this sympathizer group is operating under Cantmeir’s orders, and they’re waiting for a smoking gun that would destroy any credibility that Andi has. From what you’ve told me about why you wanted to hire Bel in the first place, I believe Ada Stillwater is a vengeful bitch and wants to mete out her own brand of justice. She’s going to use her son’s death to her benefit and accuse Andi of being involved in his execution. And then to really turn the tide in her favor, she’ll use the four of you, in some capacity, to make the public turn against her,” Mia states, her answer unsurprising but still devastating to hear.

“How much more does Andi have to go through before the world decides she’s had enough and leaves her the hell alone?” I question aloud, asking no one in particular.

“I wish I knew the answer to that, little brother. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this on top of everything else.” Mia steps forward and wraps her arms around my middle, offering me comfort the only way she knows how. I hug her back, needing the moment to remind me that this is my sister, and she’d never intentionally cause me pain or strife. So if a few photos are what’s needed to keep these assholes from growing suspicious, then that’s what they’ll get. I can only hope that Deputy Director Denvers is keeping his finger on their pulse and won’t let things escalate much further before deciding to step in.

“It’s cold as fuck out here. Can we please go inside now?” I ask, pulling back and dropping a kiss on Mia’s head.

“One more thing,” she interjects, stopping me in my tracks as I turn to leave. Her eyes bounce between mine, searching for the nerve to voice her thoughts. “Does this mean you’re a dad now?” she asks quietly, as if she’s afraid of how I’ll respond to her meddling in something I’d deemed off limits.

“Yeah, I think it does, Mia,” I answer proudly, a massive smile breaking free the moment I give voice to that irrefutable truth. “Or, one of four, at least?” I jest, jumping back when she swats my arm playfully.

“You joke now, but wait until Mamãe and Papai catch wind of this. Your only saving grace is the fact you’ll be giving them instant grandchildren to take the heat off of you. They’ll be too enamored with them to bother scolding their only son for keeping such a massive secret.” Mia laughs maniacally at the fearful look etched across my face.

I truly dread the day I have to explain my relationship to our parents, but not for the reasons my sister thinks. I’m terrified that their reaction is going to be the catalyst that forever changes our dynamic. If Andi or the guys are met with judgment or hostility from the two people who are supposed to love me unconditionally, I’ll be forced to make a decision that’s painful for everyone involved. I’m certain Andi would blame herself for causing a rift between us, but when you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, they become your immediate family and take precedence over everyone else. And after a lifetime of Andi being an afterthought to every person who should’ve made her a priority, I’ll be damned if she ever questions where she ranks when it comes to me.

First, minha luz. Always first.

40

Andilyn