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“For months, this went on.” Raymond’s fingers begin to tap-tap-tap against his thigh, almost as if he’s playing an invisible piano. “They were never invited to any of the…err…sacrifices. They weren’t even aware they fucking existed until years later. All they knew was that their lives changed for the better. New business ventures, more money, more power…” He runs his fingers through his dark hair, liberally streaked here and there with gray. “But it was all a mirage—a way to make them believe in Cassia. The Divine One was orchestrating everything. Pulling the strings, like your parents were damn puppets.”
“The Divine One?” Ryker interrupts, his voice a harsh rasp. “The same Divine One who’s stalking Ellie now?”
Raymond shakes his head. “No. That would be impossible. The one who recruited your parents is dead.”
I exchange a startled glance with first Landon and then Ryker at his proclamation.
Dead?
How can he know for sure?
My confusion must show on my face because Raymond leans forward, worry finding a home between his brows.
Worry…for me?
For my reaction?
I have so many questions but no idea how to articulate them. They swirl around and around in my head, never stopping, never slowing down, never allowing me to grab ahold of them.
“I…what do you mean?” I decide on at last. “How do you know that Divine One is dead? Is there more than one?”
“That’s a whole other story,” Raymond says at last, his tone decidedly flippant. No, not flippant. Tired. Weary? No. Maybe annoyed? None of those seem right.
Then I see it in the slightest tightening of his eyes and in the pursing of his lips.
Fear.
Raymond is afraid.
“Don’t play games with us, Raymond,” Landon snaps scathingly. “Not now. Not after what you made us do. What you put Ellie through.”
Anger momentarily flares to life in my uncle’s eyes, and not even the fear I saw in his gaze before can temper it. It burns brighter and hotter until I fear it’ll scorch the very couch I sit on.
“Don’t you dare speak to me like that,” he hisses. “All I’ve been trying to do this entire time is protect my niece.”
“By lying to her,” Ryker snaps.
“By not drawing POP’s attention,” Raymond counters immediately. Then, under his breath, he adds, “I should’ve known she wouldn’t escape their notice. Once a legacy, always a legacy.”
“Fuck you, Raymond,” Landon snaps.
“Fuck yourself right back.”
“Real fucking mature. I swear to god, if you don’t give us some answers?—”
“You’ll do what, Landon? Kill me? Torture me?” Raymond laughs darkly. “I'd like to see you try, little boy.”
“I don’t understand,” I interrupt. If the guys want to have a freaking cock measuring contest, they can do that on their own time. I’m not in the mood for male posturing or baseless threats. I need answers before my brain implodes. “Why did my parents create the app for POP? How long were they members? Is that why POP killed them?”
I can actually see the moment Raymond’s eyes harden and he chooses not to respond to my questions. His lips firm, compressing into a thin, unrelenting line, and his nostrils flare.
Anger percolates deep within my chest, swirling like a vortex and demanding release.
“There are some answers you don’t need to know,” Raymond says after a pronounced moment of silence, when all I can hear are our ragged breaths and the rapid thumping of my own unsteady heart.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum-dum-dum.
I jump to my feet with my hands balled into fists. Anger-laced adrenaline, intermixed with a hint of fear, charges through me.
