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“She’s my wife.” More tears fall from her eyes and my heart threatens to cave in.
“Ours.”The emphatic reply is jarring.
My intercom buzzes. “Yes.”
“It’s Bubba T,” Siobhan says.
“Put him through.” Not for the first time I think of the waste of the company having landlines but I know my cousin finds this the most effective way of spying on me and my brother. I know the phones aren’t just monitoring our calls but everything in the office. I’m not stupid by far. The tech he uses to watch us I hold the patents on. I could put a stop to it, but he’s made it more than apparent that if we step out of line my mother and sister’s lives are forfeit.
“Ayyye, Mr. Takeda,” the deep voice of Bubba T fills the line.
“Bubba T.” I grimace at the gross familiarity the people here insist on.
“Yes sir, we got a pretty good lead on the new leak. Seems like it’s those kids again. Got ’em on camera and everything.”
“You are very effective Bubba T, send me everything you have,” I say coolly.
I work steadily for a few hours, having watched the video that seals the fate of not only Thaddeus Love and his friends but of the chef, Krie, who my brother seems so taken with.
It brings me no pleasure to be the one to show him the betrayal of the woman he’s involved with.
The timer chimes as if on cue.
I take the medication out placing the syringe on the desk along with the alcohol prep. Though I normally take this at night, it’s well past six p.m. and I see no end to my day yet.
Pulling out the tail of my shirt I rub the prepped pad over my abs.
“Coward. You don’t need that shit. It kills your brain cells. That’s why you couldn’t stop the hack. Why you couldn’t catch them before they caused millions of dollars in damage to the production lines. Why you can’t please Taylor. You need me, motherfucker. You need—”I press the pre-dosed syringe into the hallow space between my muscles and depress.He’squiet though I can feel the searing roar ofhissilent anger.
I learned a long time ago there is no way to truly silencehim,andhe’snever really gone. The medicine just keepshimfrom taking over my mind completely.He’snever liked that. Taking a backseat is nothisway, but if I lethimstep forward and protect me, there will be nothing but carnage left inhiswake.
I knowhe’smy mirror, my Siamese twin, my protector, boon companion, buthe’sevil and though I don’t put all my actions onhim,I know I am the better of the two to face this world. I don’t get to hide in my mind like I made the mistake of doing and allowinghimto take over likehedid when father died.Healmost killed Taylor and I would have lethim. I know better now to givehimfull rein.Hecan witness even participate however,hecan never be in charge.
“Call me a coward all you like but we both know you can’t be allowed to lead.”
Putting away my medication and setting my calendar I turn my attention back to the tasks at hand.
My little bitch and my wayward employees. I tell myself there is no malice in my heart when I send Kiyoshi the video that will burst his little bubble about Chef Krie.
“It’s no more than he deserves,” Monsterwhispers.Hestill sounds sulky.
I don’t respond to my monster,hefeels threatened by anyone I have the slightest emotion for. Never mind my psychopathy only allows room for my siblings, mother, and now Taylor, though she’s moved from emotion to an obsession. I won’t allowtender emotions with her anymore. Not after her betrayal. I still bear those scars. She lucky I haven’t killed her treacherous ass.
“Kill her. Fuck her dead corpse.”The insidious whispers slide in and if not for my medication, I would act on this impulse. I’d fantasized about it long enough. Slowly strangling her until her eyes glazed over into the forever she promised. The one she lied about. I owe her little ass a killing, but I knew I couldn’t do it. It would be too final. No. She doesn’t get a path out of this entanglement, no, she will have to persevere. She will endure me as I suffer her.
Pressing send, I retrieve my jacket, making sure I am tidy.
Kiyoshi: Dinner tonight with the team
I roll my eyes. You’d think he didn’t have a personal chef he brought from Tokyo, not to mention the one he made serve him in other ways.
Me: Hai
“I don’t need anything further tonight,” I tell Siobhan.
“Yes, Mr. Takeda.” She stands giving me a differential bow. After returning her farewell with one of my own I move to the private elevator that is for the sole use of the CEO and COO.
The other executive suites are on the floor below us. Kiyoshi and I trust no one save each other. We know my cousin may have his spies, but we won’t invite trouble by people whose loyalty cannot be determined beyond their ambition to rise within the ranks of Takeda.
