“Yes, of course,” Dad says. “He knows who you are, Konnor, and where you are. But you’re not in any danger. It’s over. You’re mine. Trust me.”
Uncertainty flickers in Blesk's eyes. “How can you be so sure?”
“Trust me." Dad approaches Konnor. "Do you? Do you trust me?”
Konnor's shoulders fall slack. “I trust you, Dad.”
Leaning into him, Blesk comforts my brother in a way I cannot. Despite loving Konnor more than anything in theworld, I've never really been able to breach his walls. He's always kept me at a distance. But with Blesk... with Blesk he finds comfort. It's like she is physically taking away his pain.
Touching his forehead to hers, Konnor sighs, proof that a bit of tension is already fading. As I watch Blesk comfort him with a mere squeeze of his bicep, my heart aches for that kind of love.
"We're going to go rest," Blesk says as she leads Konnor out of the room.
Strolling over to his desk once again, Dad falls into his chair. "Cassidy, baby, can you get your old man a drink?"
My eyes begin to sting. "Okay."
I pour him a drink from the bottle of whiskey on his cabinet and place the tumbler down on a coaster in front of him. As he takes a mouthful, I watch silently with furrowed brows. When he finishes the glass, I pour him another. "Is that all true, Dad?"
I study him, not convinced he's told us the whole truth. He looks too exhausted to have gotten everything off his chest. The truth is supposed to unburden you, not cripple you under even more weight.
Shaking my head, I say, "His own dad paid to have him kidnapped?"
When he finally looks up at me with sunken eyes, his gaze darts over my shoulder and his face pales. His eyes widen for just a split second. My heart pummels inside my ribcage and I spin to see Max filling the doorway.
"Max," my dad says with a closed smile. The room suddenly has no air.
Max is blank. His stare doesn't waver from my dad. "Ben, sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to say goodnight to Cassidy."
My mouth falls open as I observe the soulless interaction. A knot rolls up my throat. My dad's hands tremble as he foldsthem in his lap. He smiles. This time it meets his eyes, but I can tell his teeth are clenched by the way his jaw moves.
"Of course." Dad's voice is strained. "Don't keep her up too late. She has ballet school tomorrow."
"I wouldn't dare."
Angst
I followMax as he steps outside into the cool night air. The weather is something I usually love about Western Australia. It's cool in the evening and warm during the day, but tonight the chill has ominous company. I haven't spoken because the words are caged in my throat, unable to leave.
Max stares deadpan into the darkness. A long moment passes, twisting the knot in my stomach before he turns towards me. I think of our day together. Of our intimacy. Of his light smile. I think of them because I barely recognise this man in front of me.
"You need to be very careful with the names you throw around. Don't talk about people you think you know. You know nothing. You're a silly little girl. Stop asking questions you'll never get the answers to. Focus on being a ballerina."
My pulse leaps as his detached eyes crush any hope I've ever had for us. "But... Konnor's part of?—"
"This conversation is over."
I cuddle myself tightly, holding all the pieces of myself together in case I fall apart. Without another word, Maxwalks away, vanishing into the void between my house and studio. Silence lingers and then the lights of Bronson's bike flick on and stun my senses. The engine growls to a start and he disappears, neither speeding nor meandering; he just casually rides away from me.
Bali
Toni is sitting crossed-leggedon my bed beside my half-packed suitcase. "Are you sure you still want to go to Bali?"
I fold another pair of shorts. "Yes. I'll be fine. I'm focused." I motion with my hand, cutting the air in front of my eyes. "I'm focused."
He pulls out a lacy pair of knickers and wrinkles his nose. "I really don't think you should be going."
"It's business." I shake my head and glance everywhere except directly at Toni. Chuckling nervously, I add, "It's a lot of money. Plus, Jimmy is sponsoring me now. He's paying my way through Europe; he's gotten me offers from companies in Italy. I'm not going to mess this up. I will keep my distance. I have the power to ignore... I'm an excellent ignorer."
