Page 54 of Crave

Lincoln:We need to talk, in the office…now.

“What’s that about?” Theo asked, peering over my shoulder.

The heat that lingered on the back of my neck grew hotter. “Nothing.” I answered, pocketing my cell. “I’ve got it handled.”

Theo dragged his fingers through his hair. “I thought she’d tell us.”

“Yeah,” I swallowed down the desperate need to go after her. “Me too.”

I did leave, making sure she was behind her locked bedroom door before I headed to mine. Lincoln no doubt had been informed of the breach of our systems. That didn’t take long. I grabbed the keys to the Maserati and headed out the back door.

Headlights flared as the engine started. I pulled out of the garage, leaving the house behind and headed back to the office. I was tired, maybe more than I’d been in my entire life, but the worst thing was I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes I saw that blood-splattered study, the cloying stench of my parent’s blood clinging to my nostrils as I woke.

I met my own gaze in the rearview mirror, finding the harrowing empty stare as I took the backstreets and pulled into the almost empty carpark…apart from Lincoln’s Mercedes. Even the sight of his car pissed me the Hell off. I climbed out, slammed the door closed and locked the car.

Thumb against the scanner and the locks disengaged.

I was pushing through, heading to the elevators before I released a pent-up breath.

I don’t remember!

Her scream resounded as I pressed the button and the doors closed.

I have no memory. Don’t you get that?

She lied. That’s all she did. I couldn’t trust a thing that came out of that mouth of hers. I licked my lips, picturing the bloodless slash of her mouth. A mouth she parted for the bastard on the video. A mouth that would part for me.

Thud.

The elevator shuddered to a stop, wrenching me out of the thought. I inhaled hard, straightened my spine and walked out as the doors opened. A few of the guys sat around monitors. But I never looked at them. Just at the brightly illuminated office at the end of the room. The one where my uncle stood there waiting.

I stepped in, then closed the door behind me, rendering the room soundproof.

“I’m sorry, Silas.” Sloane said carefully. “He already knew.”

“It’s okay.” I met Lincoln’s blazing stare.

“You want to explain why the fuck I wasn’t told about this?”

No wonder my father wanted his brother out of the business. Because he was a giant pain in the ass. “I didn’t think you needed to know.”

“You didn’t think I needed to know? And why is that, Silas?”

I clenched my jaw as he paced the floor in front of me. “Because I’m handling it.”

One glance at Sloane as he rose from behind his desk and I could see the man hadn’t stopped searching for the leak. His shirt was creased, sleeves unbuttoned. There were two empty coffee cupson an otherwise spotless desk. No, the man had barely moved since I’d left.

“You’re going to ruin this company.” Lincoln warned.

I wrenched my gaze upwards, rage seething inside me.

Lincoln saw it, stopping suddenly as I took a step forward. “You wanna say that again?”

“You’re making bad decisions.” My uncle continued, looking me up and down. “Look at you. You look like you haven’t slept in a week and you reek of desperation.” He searched my eyes. “It’s her, isn’t it? It’s Ang?—”

I lashed out, grabbing his shirt. “Say her goddamn name and I’ll put my fist through your fucking teeth. Family or not.”

His eyes widened. “Y-you’re fucking unhinged.” He stuttered. “You know that?