I had so many conflicting emotions swirling inside of me. Unworthiness. Resentment. Regret. Who was I? I kept coming to that feeling. I was a nobody to the world.
Except to Creighton,a voice kept whispering in the back of my head. I wasn’t a no one to him.
“You okay?” Palma was asking. I heard her voice in the distance. My heart was pounding, thumping loudly in my chest.
He was capable of anything, literally anything. He could destroy the world, and I was either the motivation or the reins holding him back.
My vision began to blur at the edges.
Palma was talking, her voice droning in the distance, until she grew clear again and I heard, “—It makes sense. It’s almost simple. We just want our loved ones safe. He wants to make sure the world is safe for you, so he controls the world you’re in. It’s beautiful, in his twisted way.”
Christ. It was.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Blake
“Miss Green.” Tristian West approached me on the front steps of the center, dressed in his business suit and a nice custom-tailored jacket. He looked like the epitome of a young wealthy entrepreneur. His driver shut his back door, but remained standing on the side of his SUV. Still in guard mode. I knew his name by now. Pajn. I gave him a nod before greeting his employer.
“Mr. West.”
A brief chuckle left him. “How about we just use our first names? Tristian. I’ll call you Blake? Is that okay with you?”
I lifted up a shoulder. I wasn’t really sure what was going on here. I looked up and down the street, but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. “Are we at war again? Is this the first offensive being launched?”
Another brief chuckle, but it sounded more forced. “No, Blake. We have an understanding. Lane with Ashton and I.” He gestured behind me. “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but I was previously approached to see if I wanted to help invest in this facility.”
“What?”
“Imagine my surprise when I realized you were one of the volunteers.”
“Are you going to do it? Invest?”
“I already have. Let me correct myself, I’m the reason it’s up and running.”
Oh.I was stunned. He would’ve needed to already have invested before—“Are you the reason I was asked to volunteer?”
The slight grin faded from his face. “No. My investment in this place has nothing to do with my other business.”
“It’s not a moneymaker. Why invest?”
“Did you know that Molly was also in foster care?”
I frowned.
“Ashton’s better half, as he would say.” He shrugged, his eyes trailing behind me to take in the center. “It was the right thing to do. I have a plethora of ventures. Places like this, plus others. Legit businesses as well. I’m sure you can imagine. Lane runs the businesses the Worthing family used to have, plus a good amount of his own. He does well. He has his hand in multiple pockets too.”
My mouth flattened. “You won’t be able to use me to control Creighton, if that’s why you’re here.”
“That’s not why I’m here.” He gestured behind me. “They’re having a Christmas event. Of course it’s a big fundraising event as well, but I’d intended to bring Ashton and Molly. Ashton doesn’t know about my involvement with this center. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Lassiter has been showing up lately.”
He was ping-ponging around, and the last was a surprise.
I missed Lassiter. And the fact that he knew something about my brother that I didn’t, pain sliced me.
“They’re rebuilding her bowling alley. He’s been around. He and Pialto have—they’ve grown close. I don’t know the exact nature of their friendship.”
That felt like another stab in my chest. Lassiter was getting close to someone?
