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I look up at him with questions in my eyes. "If he doesn't owe you money, then what does he owe you?"
"Information," he says plainly.
Information? Well fuck I'm surely screwed then because my father never told me anything. I've been away for years, so I most likely don't have whatever information they are after.
"If it's anything I know, you have my word that I'll tell you. I just don't know how much help I’ll be because I've been away for over six years, and he never told me much when I was there."
"I find it really hard to believe that the precious heir is not privy to information about the society she's supposed to rule in the future." I don't even question how they know that. They obviously know more about Rogue than the average person on the streets.
"I may be the next in line, but he never planned on letting me rule." I shake my head. "His plan was always to marry me off so that I could reproduce the next male heir. The whole reason I left was because he tried to force me into a marriage."
"I don't care why you left or what your relationship is with your father. I will get the information I’m owed, and if I don't, we will use you to convince him to speak. One way or another, we’ll get what we want."
I look around frantically. My body going completely numb. If my father gets me back at that compound, I'm as good as dead. I'll still be alive, sure, but my entire life will be over.He will lock me up somewhere, and I will never see the outside world again. He's not stupid. After what happened with my mother and Maxton, he won't risk me escaping from him again.
Chapter 18
Sebastian
We knew she would be upset about her father being involved in her being here, but this was nowhere near the reaction we expected. In all the research Barrett did, he didn't find anything about a rift between them. We just assumed the lack of pictures of them together recently was due to her partying it up before she had to fall in line.
It hits me that she was down in the cell by herself all that time and never fell apart the way that she did tonight at just the mere mention of her father. Her reaction to him has me second-guessing our next move.
Initially, we planned to contact Gabriel, tell him she's here, and convince him to pay up. After having her here for a few days, the guys both requested I give her a chance to see if she has the information I need. I was on the fence about taking that route, but after seeing what I saw tonight, I decided to give her a chance. If we don't have to send her back to him, I suppose I can deal with that.
I’m flooded with the realization that I'm close to finally having answers. Like Kyler, I never knew my father and barely knew my mother. I remember bits of her here and there, like herbeautiful voice. She used to sing me a song that is constantly stuck in my head, but I've never been able to figure out what it was. I cannot recall the words for the life of me, just the melody. She died in a car accident when I was young. At least, that's what the police report says. I had no other family that they could locate, and it landed me a one-way ticket into the system.
I was one of the lucky few and came out of it all with a family. It's not a family in the traditional sense, but Kyler and Barrett are the closest thing to brothers I’ve ever known. I have Ms. Monroe to thank for that. Our loyalty to one another will never be broken.
About a year ago, Barrett was digging into our old foster files and managed to find a record of who my father was. He's dead now, but we found out he was married and had another son before dying. His name is Maxton, and he is my half-brother.
The job we completed for Gabriel was supposed to result in him passing along contact information for Maxton so that I could reach out to him to see if he wanted to connect with me. I doubt he knows I exist, but I’d love to get to know him. The problem we ran into is that piece of shit Gabe never followed through with his end of the bargain, and I’m pissed as hell. We don't allow people to go back on their word. That makes us look weak.
I look over at the girl who has gone pale as a ghost since bringing up her father. I suppose the only way to find out if she’s useful is to come right out with it. "I am looking for informationon how to get in contact with my half-brother. I believe he is a member of your society."
"Okay, what's his name?" she asks curiously.
"His name is Maxton," I state firmly.
Her eyes widen enough that they look like they are about to bulge out of her head. She quickly stands up, eyes welling up with tears as if she's about to lose every morsel of sanity. I see her chest rise and fall rapidly and notice her breathing begins to shorten again. This girl is about to fall right into another panic attack at the mention of my brother's name. What the hell is that about?
Kyler calls out to her to try and calm her down like he did just a few minutes ago, but it doesn't work this time. She backs away from him and becomes more hysterical, clutching her chest at the lack of oxygen. She makes a sound like she's not able to breathe, and Kyler tries again to calm her again. It still doesn't work. The next thing I know, she begins to wobble from side to side before ultimately falling forward right into Kyler's arms, passing out. Well, fuck.
Chapter 19
Callie
Iwake up in a bed that doesn't look familiar, and my head is pounding. It's been a long time since I've had an episode that extreme. I almost forgot what the aftereffects feel like. The tightness in my chest lingers, along with the raging headache and nausea.
If I had the energy, I would get up and run as far away from here as possible. My fight or flight response has kicked in something fierce. Thinking about Maxton makes me feel as if I was 18 all over again. I try to make sense of the conversation at dinner, but I'm not sure I can. Sebastian is Maxton's brother.
We had been together for years, and he had never mentioned a brother. Sebastian said that he had just found out about him and that they shared the same father. I met Maxton's father. He never seemed like the kind of guy who would have a child and leave him alone to be raised by their mother.
Maxton's father died from a massive heart attack a few months before Maxton was killed. I helped him through his father's funeral and was there for his mother during her time of grief. I can't even imagine the amount of pain she went through after Maxton was killed and I fled. She had nobody there to helpher, and that pang of guilt is enough to consume me. I roll onto my side, grasping at the covers, when I hear the door creek open.
Barrett walks over to the side of the bed and sits next to me. Looking down at me, he pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. "When did you start having panic attacks?"
I sigh and feel the tears well up in my eyes again. Just like with Kyler, I feel a weird sense of safety with him. He makes me feel like I want to open up and expose this part of my life. In the past, this is a feeling I've always run away from.
