But here we are, thick in the swamp of lies and half-truths.
Only this time, he has brought his sister down into the treacherous waters with me.
I open my eyes, trying to blink the blur of tears away as I attempt to swallow down that hot lump sticking fast in my throat.
If he's destroying my trust, what about Lyndall? She's a teen, and she loves him, trusts him. Or she did.
To her, he is the one steady thing, the one person who cares about her, notices her, loves her.
And he has just made it sound like a lie. Like she was always an outsider.
I'm aware I'm coloring that. I don't think he meant to, but the sheer act of lying to a kid full of hormones who is trying to carve a place as she learns who and what she is...well, it's devastating.
I look at my phone.
Lyndall's lesson should be done by now. But I didn't hear the door.
And the girl is like clockwork.
In a way, she has to be since her whole world, like mine, is run by Enzo.
That old resentment rushes back in, harsher than before.
I get up, and as I search the house, I find I'm alone, and there are only the guards. Including the one called Rich.
He comes into the office after me.
I look at him. "Have you seen Lyndall?"
He hesitates, like he isn't sure he should talk back.
"Please. She's not in her room. And her violin isn't here." I look around. "Who's in charge of taking her to her lesson?"
A muscle moves in his jaw. "Antonio. He's a new hire. For here, that is. I vetted him, as did Con. And..."
He looks at his watch, and the tick in his jaw muscle works harder.
"What is it?"
He doesn't answer, and I shove my feet into my shoes as he goes to the door and pushes the buttons to unlock it.
I shadow him.
When he steps out, I follow.
I'm so sick and tired of men taking away my autonomy, of them bossing me around.
Suddenly, he turns. "Go back inside."
"No."
"Fuck..."
"I'm going with you. It's either that or you have to carry me inside. And if you try that, I'll scream."
He rolls his eyes a little. "Fine." Rich gestures to a car, and a young, black-haired man gets out and lopes across the road. "What's up?"
I shove Rich, who is twice as wide and twice as tall as I am, to the side. "Where's Lyndall?"
