Page 75 of Doubts of the Egoist (Egoist #3)

The door flew open and slammed into the wooden wall before bouncing back onto Tobias’ palm. Without a greeting, he stomped over to the bar, grabbed a water bottle, and downed its contents.

His usually edgy aura sparked with irritation while he stomped toward the desk.

He hooked his foot under the rolling base of the guest chair, rolled it over, and slumped down onto it.

Resting his elbow on the armrest, he leaned his head into his hand, covering one eye with his palm.

His other eye pierced Yugo with a fierce glare.

Dark shadows lay across his face, revealing Tobias’ age.

A strand of hair above his left ear curled like a tiny devil’s horn.

His dark gray linen shirt had sweat stains on the chest and underarms, and looked as if it had never been ironed.

A dried drool stain marred the front of his shirt, where the hem looked chewed-up and spat out.

Yugo waited, letting his guest start the inevitable conversation while annoying him with a heavy silence. Tobias’ toothy grin told Yugo he had failed.

Tobias blinked owlishly at Yugo, snorted. His blond head lifted from his palm, then he tapped beneath his eye with a finger. “Aye, aye? Looking good, Yugo. Nice shiner.”

Yugo squinted at his guest, unimpressed by the petty remark about his glaring bruises.

“You know, your request vexed me, but now I’m glad I came.”

Greg, who was leaning against the wall next to the door, raised a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat, signaling to Tobias that this was no time for jokes, or perhaps stifling a chuckle. Either way, the blond’s expression cleared of amusement.

Creepy, whitish eyes with pinpoint pupils settled on Yugo. “How much do you know already?”

“Assume I know everything, but start from the beginning. Don’t skip any details just because you think I know nothing.

” Yugo picked up the lighter, twirled it with practiced ease, then stopped its spin with a tap on the desk.

The smooth, rectangular lighter was as addictive to his fingers as a fidget spinner to a teenager.

Spin and tap. Spin and tap again.

Tobias winced, then lifted his chin toward the silver lighter. “Can you stop doing that? Annoying.”

Yugo spun the lighter again before slamming it down on his desk with a loud thump. Tobias’ pupils shrank further as he scowled. That expression suited Yugo’s mood much better. He clenched the lighter in his fist and leaned back in his chair.

They held each other’s gaze for a moment, before Tobias yawned widely, flashing his molars.

Yugo hurled the lighter at his guest’s chest. It bounced off his ribs, eliciting a painful ‘oof’ and a chuckle.

Tobias picked up the silve r rectangle from his lap, spun it between his nimble fingers, and tapped it against his armrest. “I hope you realize I’m not giving it back. ”

“Start speaking already. Your theatrical pause is dragging on.”

“Fine.” Tobias grinned, but his attention wandered across the desk and settled on the pile of papers.

The chair creaked as he leaned forward, scooped up the papers, and leafed through them.

With a hum, he dropped the papers back onto the desk, turned in his chair, and looked over his shoulder at Greg.

“You’re really quick. I thought I’d gotten rid of them all. How did you find out so quickly?”

“Luck.” Greg shrugged, but the corners of his wide mouth hooked up. Yugo tilted his head, eyeing his right-hand man. Greg looked pleased with himself and the fact that he’d managed to impress Tobias.

“Ahhh, Puppy. Yeah, my mistake. I should have thought of him.” Tobias’ lopsided smile caused small laugh lines to appear under his eyes.

“You can catch up later,” Yugo said, raising his voice a fraction as he sat forward. The edges of his hands rested on the polished wood, fingers steepled. “It’s a bad idea to annoy me right now, Tobias.”

The blond man turned his head toward the desk. He sighed, then held up a palm in a reassuring gesture, deflecting Yugo’s silent question. “I have nothing to do with this.”

“The rifle was in your possession.” Yugo lowered his chin, brows knitting together.

“I don’t deny that. Still, I have nothing to do with this.”

“Who then?” Yugo tilted his head to the side.

“Well…” Mirroring the tilt of his head, Tobias said with eerie satisfaction, “You.”

“Me?” Yugo’s voice pitched as he held back a chuckle. “Care to elaborate?”

“You forced us to live together, hoping that one day we would bond. You taught him that it’s safe to steal from me. Reap what you sow, Yugo.” Tobias spun the lighter again.

Mio shot the dog? Hmm… Should I thank him or scold him now?

He wanted to ask for details, but instead asked, “Did you bond?”

A wide, crooked grin twisted Tobias’ lips, giving him the edgy look of a jackal ready to attack. “Not really. I still want to strangle him ten times a day, but the little shit is great at making me clean up his mess, so it would be hypocritical to deny it completely. I do what I have to, though.”

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

Tobias laughed; a short, barking sound that grated on Yugo’s nerves. “If I called you every time he brought trouble to my door, your phone would never stop ringing.”

“Fair enough, but this time, the trouble is at my door. How the hell did he get the rifle?”

Tobias turned to Greg, wrinkled his nose mischievously, and formed a ring with his four fingers and thumb, bringing his hand to his mouth. “Be a sweetie?”

With a hmph, Greg sauntered to the bar, grabbed another water bottle, and threw it at Tobias. The blond caught it with lethal grace, twisted off the cap, and drank half of it in one go before returning his attention to Yugo.

“Since you requested his bulletproof vest and gun, I assume you know what he did in the truck.” Yugo nodded, even though Tobias hadn’t expected an answer.

“I was curious whether he did it because he was scared of me or to get your attention. Either way, I thought I’d spoil his fun, so I dropped by.

When I arrived, he was already in distress.

Since neither you nor Puppy were around, I assumed the happy reunion didn’t go well.

“Mio couldn’t stop pacing and muttering about how you broke your word and how he hates everyone.

He didn’t look well, so I had a good reason to sedate him and enjoy the silent drive home.

And didn’t he hate that?” The bottom of the bottle landed on the polished desk, condensation trickling down its plastic surface, pooling where it met the varnish.

Yugo’s eyes were fixed on the drops, which threatened to leave a water stain.

“The next day, the doctor insisted that he start moving to prevent fibrosis. His blood test also showed improvement, so I took him off the sedatives. Once the drugs wore off, he demanded to see you. I refused, obviously. That’s when we had another fight.

Things got a little out of hand, so I locked him in the panic room to cool off and left.

Usually, this works just fine, but this time, he somehow got out.

When I returned, my place was trashed, Mio escaped, the gun room was broken into, and the rifle was missing. You know the rest.”

That’s why he seemed so insecure and needy. He saw Kuon just as clearly as Kuon saw him.

“I’m surprised he didn’t try to kill Puppy again.” Tobias scratched the side of his neck, looking at Yugo expectantly, red lines appearing where his nails scraped his pale skin.

“What for?” Yugo heard himself ask. “Why kill Kuon and risk infuriating me when he could have driven a wedge between us? With some research, he learned that Kainz was the only person close to Kuon. Killing Kainz with your rifle was meant to make it look like I carried out the assassination. Since you already covered up for him once, he’d expect you to do it again, which would suit him just fine.

That should be enough to make Kuon suspicious.

I admit Mio succeeded here. He could have done a better job, though. ”

“How so?”

“With proper research, he could have tried to set you up and get rid of you both at once. Who knows, it might have worked. I called you today because of the rifle. Otherwise, I would have started investigating to pacify Kuon. That would have led me to you eventually, and I would have remembered everything you said about Kuon.” Tobias’ smile grew wry and tight.

His pale eyes narrowed, pinpoint pupils fixing Yugo with a cautious glare.

“You said a cop in the family is a bad omen. So why do you want Kuon gone so badly? It’s not the first time you’ve tried to make me reconsider his presence.

This doesn’t look like a simple superstition, Tobias. Why do you dislike Kuon so much?”

“Oh, ple-e-ease, I don’t hate your Puppy,” Tobias droned dismissively, waving a hand.

“Then what is it?” Yugo raised an eyebrow, but when he received no answer, he pressed on, “If it weren’t for the rifle, I would have suspected your involvement and looked deeper into your affairs and motives.

I would have wondered if you hated Mio enough to try and help him get rid of Kuon?

A part of me still wonders if you would actually use that rifle, knowing that I’d never suspect you. ”

“What a nice theory, Yugo. I’m flattered you think so lowly of me.

Sadly, I’m not that immoral yet. I’m working on it, though, learning from the best.” Tobias mock-saluted Yugo with the water bottle, his fake smile failing to reach his eyes.

“You missed the part where I can kick Mio out whenever I want. It’s a deal we made, not an obligation. ”

“Yeah, I figured it wasn’t substantial. Besides, your animosity toward Kuon started developing long before Mio moved in with you. What other reason could you possibly have had besides helping Mio?”