Page 52 of Serpentine
When I find him, he’s in the bathroom, vomiting his brains out. Once he’s done, he meanders back to bed and falls into it, moving past me without acknowledgment.
I chuckle. “Had a good night, huh?”
He lifts his head, registers me, and then drops it back down. “What do you want? You came to gloat?”
“Gloat? No. Aella wanted me to check on you. She said you were pretty wrecked last night.”
He eyes me with one lid open. “I didn’t fuck up, did I?”
I shrug. “She didn’t say. That’s between you and her. I’m just here as an interested third party on behalf of the mistress of the house.”
He lifts, moving to sit up against the headboard. “Is that what she is? The mistress of the house? I thought she was a means to an end. Thought we agreed.”
“You must reevaluate based on what we both feel brewing with her. It might be quick, but something’s there.”
“And what, we’re going to share her?”
I shrug again. “I don’t know. But we have a slight problem, though.”
His brows lift as I watch a wave of nausea roll over his face. “What’s the issue now?”
“Well, I took her to Summer Fest, and while we were in line, I spotted someone looking at her image on their phone. Someone reported her missing. From what I found last night, it’s a national fucking story. This isn’t good for us understanding what her father had to do with our mother’s disappearance.”
He looks worried as he nods. “So, what do you suggest? Give her back? She’ll tell the first chance she gets. And then what? We’re fucked?”
I scoff. “You know nothing. She wouldn’t tell.”
“You’re blinded by what your dick wants. I want her too, you know? I’m not an idiot. We fucking kidnapped her. Even though she’s going along with things because she’s in the middle of some existential crisis, it doesn’t mean she won’t wake up one day and decide she’s done playing nice, Brax.”
Anger coils in my stomach, but I try to keep a lid on it so my brain spews nothing I shouldn’t.
“Listen,” I start.
He sits up and opens his mouth, and I lift my hand.
“I’m sorry I blamed you for what happened. Aella worries that you’re spiraling, and I don’t want you to. When Dad got locked up, you got really bad, Miles. I can’t go down that road with you again, alright? I was upset, let anger cloud my logic, and I’m sorry. For now, she needs to remain here,” I finish. “For her protection and ours. She’s all over every website and social media page. She needs to be locked down. Everyone in the club must be told to keep their mouths shut.”
He rolls his eyes. “Like any of them would say shit.”
I eye him narrowly. “Miles, it needs to be reiterated.”
He sighs, nodding. “I’ll handle it. But I need you to do something for me.”
I cross my arms over my chest, leaning back in his desk chair. There’s nothing at his desk. I don’t know why he has one. Likely, so he feels more significant than he is.
“Go ahead.”
“I need you to figure out who the fuck the bartender at The Dirty Pour is and why Vito is so fucking mad I fucked her.”
I nod. “I can handle that. Surveillance, or intervene in any way?”
“Relay what you find to me, and I’ll decide from there.”
I nod curtly and stand. “We good?” I ask.
A lot has happened between us in the last couple of weeks, and I hate that I feel a disconnect with him—even after we talked.
“We’re good. I swear. And, Brax?”