So many things swirled through his mind. He wasn’t sure what was worse: that his father was a criminal or the look Miri gave him before she left. The pain on her face. The pain in his heart.
A wave of nausea washed over him.
Everything he thought he knew about his life was a lie. Everything he thought of himself was a lie. Where was he supposed to go from here? Was there really anywhere to go?
For a fleeting moment with Miri, he’d thought he had his future figured out. She understood him. He understood her.
Guess he was wrong.
“Don’t look so sad, Rafael. It never would have worked,” Vautour said, waltzing over to Rafael like they were going to have a nice little heart-to-heart.
“Yeah, because you lied to me. You made me do this.”
“I didn’t lie so much as withhold some information, but when it comes to her, let’s be clear—I didn’tmakeyou do anything. I warned you to stay away from her, but the fact of the matter is that you knowingly deceived her, and the whole time, you continued your pursuits.”
“It wasn’t like that,” Rafa protested.
“You don’t have to try to convince me. I understand you better than you think I do. I was this close over thirty years ago,” he said, kneeling to Rafa’s level, putting up his hand and holding his index finger and thumb an inch apart in front of Rafa’s face. “This closeto finding it. She would have told me. She would have told me where to find the Moon City had she not died. I could feel it. I could feel her breaking down, trusting me with the truth of who she really was. She loved me. Shewantedme to know its location.”
Anger roiled through Rafa’s stomach, and he clenched his fists.
“You mean, you…you tricked my mother?”
Vautour frowned. “Out of all people, I don’t think you should judge me for fooling a woman to get what I wanted.We’re the same, Rafael,” he said, motioning his hand back and forth between the two of them.
No, they weren’t the same. Vautour was a monster. Rafa wanted to ask if he’d ever even loved his mother, but a part of him didn’t want to know the truth. Some things were better left unsaid. Though that didn’t stop Rafa from being ashamed to be related to him.
“Why am I even here?” Rafa asked.
“Before I parted ways with that all-too-susceptible Mr. Larity, he’d mentioned wanting to bring someone to document the expedition. So I dropped casual hints about your work atGloGeoand how you would be an asset on this journey. I needed someone on this expedition I could trust.”
“Trust?!” A single laugh burst from Rafa’s lips. Clearly, his dad didn’t know the definition of the word. “Was any of it the truth?”
“I said what I needed to so you’d get the job done. Though based on what’s transpired, it seems you weren’t trying very hard.”
“I did try. Warned her about how dangerousyouwere. But I can’t help it that I’ve been falling in l—”
Rafa stopped himself.
“Oh, Rafael, love?” his dad said, placing his hand on his shoulder. “Is that what you were going to say? That you’ve fallen inlovewith her?”
Rafa stayed silent. He didn’t want his father to know how he felt about Miri. Not after this.
Vautour sighed, almost like he was disappointed, and then stood up. “There’s no use in denying it. I could hear it in your voice. I knew you were falling for her.”
“I’ll do anything to make sure she’s safe.”
His father smacked his lips. “Why are you wasting your lifeon this nonsense? I’m offering you something here, Rafael. You can join me. Come with me to the Cidade da Lua,” he said excitedly.
“And why would I do that? After everything you’ve done?”
“Because you are my son. And I’m all that you have. Once you have what I have, you’ll see. This life? It’s fucking fabulous.”
“What happened to ‘do great things’?” Rafa asked.
Vautour leaned against a boulder and folded his arms in front of him. “What makes you think I’m not doing great things?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that you’re a crook?”
