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Twenty-Nine

Ophelia

Sebastian looks like someone just showed him his own death. From the moment the door shut, the thin veneer of normalcy he’s been wearing cracks. His sharply angled face only enhances the pallor of his skin, but his eyes are the worst—dull, lacking the sparkle I hadn’t realized I liked until it disappeared.

And his words fill me with sick, coiling dread. Do I know what my brother did? Not even a tenth of it, and what I do know still sickens me. He’s nothing like my father, with his twisted but still strong sense of right and wrong. Harrison is a snake, and whatever Sebastian thinks he’s done, I’m sure he’s done worse.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say gently, wary of unleashing the rage below the surface. I’ve had many years of practice tiptoeing around angry men. Be calm. Be quiet. Don’t trigger them with a shrill tone or a harsh word.

“Maggie! Did you know? Did you know he—”

Sebastian breaks off, face twisting as he turns away. I wish it were difficult for me to put together the pieces, but it isn’t. My pig of a brother has always had a thing for younger girls—he went after enough of my friends growing up. But understanding doesn’t make it any less revolting. “Oh no. I’m sorry, Sebastian. He’s disgusting.”

“He got her pregnant!” Sebastian spins to face me, eyes wild. “He’s the reason she killed herself. Not you. It was never you.”

His words hit, and I stagger backward, hand pressed to the hole in my chest that just opened wide. Pregnant? He got her pregnant? The world tips, and I stumble to a chair before I fall. I can feel Sebastian’s gaze boring into me, and when I meet his shiny eyes, he whispers, “You didn’t know.”

It’s not a question, but I shake my head anyway. “No. I’m sorry. That’s—”

“Stop apologizing for him!” The snap in his voice makes me flinch. “I punished you when I should have—”

His fists clench, and he strides into his bedroom. I stare at the open door. It was never me. I should feel relieved, but all I can manage is nausea. I can imagine Harrison’s reaction when Maggie told him. Threats and fury. And while she was dealing with that, I made it worse with my stupid teenage jealousy.

Harrison, though. The bastard. He saw what I went through after Maggie’s death, the guilt that almost broke me, and let me carry it all. Probably too scared of what our dad would do to him if he found out. I’ve known for a long time that my brother is a piece of shit, but each time I think he can’t get any worse, he does.

Sebastian exits the bedroom with something clutched under his suit jacket, and it doesn’t take a genius to know what it is. He strides toward the front door, face set. I rush forward and put myself in his way. “Don’t. If you go after Harrison, he’ll kill you. He doesn’t play fair. He’ll have people waiting.”

For a single instant, his face shifts. He looks at me, eyes wide. “And why would you care? ”

I open my mouth, but the words stick. I can’t answer that. I really can’t, because I don’t know. After all he’s done to me, I should be glad to see him dead. Shouldn’t I? Surely if he dies, I’ll be released. But the thought of my brother blowing a hole in Sebastian’s head has me planting my feet.

“Don’t let him win. If he’s told you this, it’s to goad you. He wants you to go rushing in. Don’t be stupid.”

A shadow of a smile flickers over his lips. “I’m happy you care so much about my welfare. The door will unlock in four hours if I’m not back. Jacob and Quinn are one floor up. Number 14.”

“Jacob. Isn’t he military? Take him with you, at least.”

“No. I’m not letting anyone else get hurt.”

He takes a step toward the door. I don’t move, and he sighs. “I can leave you chained up in time-locked cuffs if you prefer. It’ll be uncomfortable, though.”

And I’d have no chance to do anything to stop this madness. I step aside. He pauses at the door, lips parted as he studies me. “I’m sorry.”

Before I can ask what for, he’s gone.

The door clicks shut. I wait long enough for him to make it into the elevator before tugging on the handle. Locked. That was too good to be true anyway.

Panic scrabbles at the inside of my chest as I stare at the locked door. I imagine Sebastian exiting the building and finding his car, wherever it is. I don’t have long. I don’t even know where he’s going. Stupid. Why didn’t I ask? Not that he would have told me.

Think.

There’s no point screaming. Even if someone heard me, I’m sure no one would care. Women must scream all the time here. I shudder at the thought. Why am I so intent on saving Sebastian again? Is it guilt for Maggie? Anger at my brother?

Or is it just because he’s the only person who has really listened to me in a long time?

The thought comes out of nowhere, and I try to squash it, but it grows like a weed. I fell asleep happy last night, with his fingers clutched in my hand. I can’t bring myself to want him dead. Dad would be screaming at me if he could see me now, but I don’t care. I’m not like him.

Think. I can’t get out, but I don’t need to. All I need to do is send a message. But how? I stare at the door, and my vision wavers. I’m trapped. No phone. Nothing. How much time has passed now? Half an hour? If I know my brother, he’ll be somewhere close by. He wants Sebastian in a blind rage, not thinking.

Should I stick a note under the door and hope someone sees? It’s a start. I run into Sebastian’s office. His desk is a chaotic mass of knickknacks and paper surrounding a huge mouse pad with a Star Trek logo on it. Seeing the symbol, I can’t help but smile. Is cool, sophisticated Sebastian a secret Trekkie?

I yank open his desk drawer to hunt for a pen and find an iPad. I almost ignore it, but then a memory makes me snatch it up. Dinner last night, and Candice smiling from her screen. Is she locked to just that screen? No. While we were at dinner, she was monitoring something back at Hadrian’s office that called her away. She can probably be in ten places at once.

Could she access this screen?

I press the power button, but it’s out of battery. Of course it is. A quick hunt finds me a charger, and agonizing seconds pass as I wait for the iPad to come back to life. Maybe it’s broken? No. The low battery image appears, and then it turns on. No lock screen either. Maybe he doesn’t think he needs it here, or maybe he just hasn't gotten around to it.

Either way, I’m in. So what now ?

The home screen is a jumble of apps. Streaming services, games. No email or banking apps. This must be a device he only uses for entertainment. I flick, desperate, until one catches my eye.

Room service.

Didn’t someone mention it at dinner last night? That we should have ordered the food for delivery? My heart races, skin growing clammy as I open the app. When the list of Compound restaurants pops up, I almost cry with relief. Someone will be looking at the orders. Someone will see.

I select Main Refectory, pick a random food item, then go to checkout. There’s a box for notes. Fingers fumbling, I type.

HELP. Sebastian in danger. Candice, or someone, please contact. I’m trapped in his room. Ophelia.

I hit send. Probably won’t—

“What’s happening?”

Candice’s image fills the screen. I yelp and drop the iPad. Jesus. The back of my neck prickles at how fast she appeared. But questioning the wisdom of creating life can wait for another day.

“Get Jacob. Please. Sebastian’s gone after my brother, and it’s a trap.”

Candice’s face shows a very good replica of shock. “Oh no.” A pause. “I’m talking to Quinn now and tracking Sebastian’s car. He left his phone in his office.” She pauses, then frowns. “Crap. He’s stopping.”

Stopping? Shit. Where the hell has my brother sent him? I try to remember the journey here, though it’s mostly a blur. He must have found a vacant house in a town close to the forest.

“Jacob and Quinn are on their way. I’ve also let Kendrick know what’s happening. ”

Three conversations at once. It’s unnerving, even in this situation. How powerful is Candice? And are there more like her? At least she’s on our side. For now.

“He’s not moving, just sitting in his car with the engine running. There’s a village on the edge of the forest, and he’s on one of the outer streets.”

The front door bangs open. I jump up to find Jacob and Quinn in the living room.

“Ophelia. Give me the short version.” Jacob looks every bit the military guy now, and he listens calmly as I explain.

Jacob nods. “Your brother. What is he like?”

I pause, confused, before it hits me what he’s really asking and why. He wants to understand my brother better so he can work out the best way to approach the house. To save Sebastian.

And probably to kill Harrison.

Family is everything.

My dad’s voice. It’s been quiet lately. But if family is everything, why did Harrison let me suffer? It’d have cost him nothing to take away some of my crippling guilt. Just one word from him would have saved me so much pain, and he couldn’t even do that.

He doesn’t deserve my loyalty.

“He’s a hot head but isn’t stupid. He’ll stay out of danger and have men doing the dirty work. He’ll let them capture Sebastian, then come in once he’s restrained.” I swallow. “And he won’t drag things out. He might take a few minutes to hurt him, but killing him and getting out before anyone shows up will be his main priority.”

Jacob’s face hardens. “Thank you. Kendrick is readying the chopper. We’ll get there in time.”

Candice pipes up from her iPad. “His Tesla just went dead. You’d better hurry.”