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“That’s not going to happen—”
“My father is excellent at using good publicity. You see him as a politician, but that’s just a camouflage. He killed my adoptive uncle and aunt. He tried to kill the parents who raised me. I’ve told you the truth so many times in that awful interview room, yet each time that bastard calls to see what plane I’m on and what time I touch down, you don’t believe me.”
“He’s a powerful man. He spoke to the prime minister on your behalf, for goodness’ sake! He even offered to hire expensive lawyers to protect the Taylors for harbouring you all this time.”
He held up his hand, already seeing my twisted face and knowing how vehemently I’d defend them. “And before you go on again, you can’t pretend that they don’t know you. The Taylors lodged three visa applications for you in forty-eight hours. They’re openly admitting to harbouring you, despite the risk of jail time. They even hired a visa consultant that is a right pain in our ass. And their daughter? The one you say is nothing to you—a cheap one-night stand—well, she’s still calling a hundred times a day.” He raised an eyebrow. “You weren’t permitted phone calls, but if you could have, would you have retained this useless attempt at not knowing them or would you have spoken to her?”
Just like every time he mentioned Nerida, my insides turned into stone. “I told you, she’s no one. I’ve never heard of her or her parents before in my life.”
“Uh-huh. Sure.”
The lawyer I’d been assigned (who hadn’t helped my situation whatsoever), had said denial was the only way to protect Nerida, Jack, and Anna.
It was my only weapon.
Denial.
Denial.
Denial.
No, they didn’t house me.
No, they didn’t employ me.
No, I didn’t love them.
No.
No.
No.
What could they do? Strap me to a lie detector?
Who knew...maybe they could?
But it was too late for that.
Jack and Anna had indeed thrown all caution to the wind and confessed to hiding me. Neri clogged immigration’s phone lines, demanding my release, all while Cem prevented any charges being brought against the Taylors in the disguise of being so caring, so kind, so wonderful.
Fuck.
“Honestly, Aslan, I don’t understand why you hate the bloke. He’s looked after the people you obviously care for. He’s paid for all your repatriation. He’s gone out of his way to ensure your trip home goes as smoothly as possible. Why on earth would he do all that if he didn’t want you back, safe and sound? Why would he protect the Taylors for housing you if he didn’t feel completely indebted to them for looking after his son when he couldn’t?”
I winced.
I’d physically thrown up the morning when I’d been dragged into the interview room and heard the sentence with my father’s name and the Taylors mixed together.
He knows.
He probably already had their address, phone numbers, and a comprehensive spreadsheet on their habits and vulnerabilities.
He’d proven in one vicious swipe that no one was safe.
He’d also snared me in whatever cage he’d weaved because he’d proven he could snuff out the Taylors as easily as he’d protected them.
He’s using them to control me.
It made my choice to run the hardest decision of my life because...if I ran, I put them at risk. But if I didn’t, I would die.
Two choices that would ultimately destroy me.
My voice was not my own, full of glacial control as I fought for strength. “He’s playing a game, don’t you see? He’s a master at manipulation and deception.”
The fact that Cem Kara knew about Neri?
The pain in my body couldn’t compete with the agony in my soul.
I needed to protect her.
I needed to change her name, run away with her, and hide her before it was too late.
But I can’t because I’m being moved around like a fucking pawn.
I hadn’t even landed in Turkey yet, and Cem had found a way to leash me. A way to show me that he owned me whether I wanted him to or not.
I’d seen the document myself.
Seen his signature on his statement that the Taylors were to be left alone for their involvement in my disappearance. I’d seen the obscene dollar amount he’d donated in thanks to the Australian government for keeping me safe. I’d choked on bile at his hand-written note painting an image of a heartbroken father whose dream had finally come true at finding me.
I snorted under my breath.
I’d been named after a lion, but him? He was one. He was the biggest, baddest fucking predator who treated everyone else like dumb little mice. Mice he liked to toy with, play with, and move around on a chessboard of his own making until he was ready to pounce.
Roger sighed again and glanced around the half-empty cabin before saying quietly, “Look, I did what you asked me to. I researched him. I did see a few rumours of him being involved with drug activity before he became more active in politics, but he seems like he’s left whatever darkness he used to partake in behind. I think you need to give him a chance.”
