Page 12 of Cruel Titan

The emblem on the letterhead of the paper immediately catches my attention—I’d recognize Ruby Flame Marketing’s logo from any distance. The ruby engulfed in golden flames has been branded into my brain long before I found out it was Asher’s father’s company. The connection just reiterated the company’s involvement with my dad is just as shady as the contracts with my forged signature.

“Yep. Consider it done.” Nathan clicks the end button on his phone—his personal cell phone, instead of the fancy one sitting on his desk. Odd. “I’m thrilled you decided to take me up on the offer.”

I give him a slight smile, unable to push the image of him and my dad sitting together in the photograph out of my brain.

Tilting his head to the side, he asks, “At least, that’s the reason I’m assuming you’re here.”

“Yes. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have the experience since I don’t know what I want to do after high school.”

Nathan stands from his desk and walks around to sit in the chair beside me. He seems a little less relaxed than normal. “What were you planning before … everything?”

My eyes drop to my lap, watching my hands clutch together, as the question catches me by surprise. Everything is so different now, it’s hard for me to remember what it was like before my world was turned upside down. “I wanted to open a climbing gym. My dad said we could open one together after I graduated from college.”

“It is good to have a degree under your belt. What were you planning to major in?”

“Business.”

“Definitely a good choice, and it sounds like a solid plan. You could still do that. You’ll have some funds after high school to open the gym, but exploring the business side of it would be beneficial in the long run.”

Shaking my head, I avoid looking at Nathan. The four million dollars he’s speaking of, the same amount on the receipt I found in Asher’s safe, more than likely has something to do with the reason my dad isn’t here to go through with our plan. “No. I can’t climb anymore.”

“Maybe you’ll feel differently about climbing in a few years. You never know.”

“I won’t.”

“I know climbing is something special that you did with your dad, but I want to put it out there that if you ever want a partner to climb with, I’d be happy to give it a shot. I can’t guarantee I’ll be any good at it, but I’m a fast learner.”

My eyes snap to his as a wave of mixed emotions surge through my body. The only one I’m able to latch onto is anger, and it’s directed towards Nathan and my dad. “No. I’m done with climbing.”

“Okay … but if you ever change your mind, just let me know.” He shifts in the chair, looking at the door before returning his gaze to me. “But a business degree would be useful even if you decide to take another route. At least apply to a few schools, and consider keeping that part of the plan before you make any final decisions. It’s good to have options. Besides, college can be a fun learning experience in more ways than one,” he teases, lightening the mood, thankfully.

Nodding, I agree. But I can’t consider anything at this point. I can’t see past what’s happening in my world today, so planning my future is out of the question. Months ago, it seemed like the most important thing in the world. Today, it feels inconsequential. What’s the point in planning if everything can be ripped away at the drop of a hat?

Nathan hops out of the chair, grabbing his phone and the Ruby Flame paper off his desk before looking to me. “I have a meeting I have to get to, but I’ll be around after that.” He pushes the door open, gesturing for me to walk down the hallway. Arriving at his secretary’s desk, he says, “Sophie here will take good care of you.”

“Absolutely!” Sophie rises from her desk before stepping to my side, motioning Nathan on his way.

Hesitating, he halts before gradually rotating to look my way with a genuine smile on his face. “I’m really excited to have you on board.”

His words seem convincing, and the smile plastered on his face makes me want to believe he’s being sincere, but that paper in his hand won’t allow me to fully buy into what he’s saying.

“Thanks,” I reply, watching him step into the elevator, waving a final goodbye as the doors close. If he’s truly thrilled for me to be here, does he really have something to hide? Why risk having me here if there was any chance I’d discover something incriminating?

“I’ll show you around, then we’ll get started.” Sophie proceeds to show me around the rest of the eighth floor, which has a conference room and a few offices in addition to Nathan’s which definitely offers the best view, then gives me a quick rundown of each department housed throughout the building. I’d assumed with the grand size of the building that other companies were officed out of it but that’s not the case. The entire building is solely Vast Perception.

Returning to her desk, Sophie picks up a stack of folders before handing them to me. “Know of any good bands?”

“Huh?”

“The one that was scheduled had to cancel, so we need to find a replacement. That’s the main agenda for now, then we have a few other kinks that need ironing out.” She leads me to the conference room, pulling out a chair before placing a laptop on the table. “I’ll send a request for IT to set you up in the system, but for now, you can work under my login.” She types for a moment, then turns the laptop to face me. “There are a few on this list to get you started. The party is two weeks away, so we need to find someone soon.”

“What’s the fundraiser for?”

“The Bennett Foundation. Mr. Bennett put Nathan in charge this year so he’s stressing over every little detail, which is why we are handling it up here.”

“Oh.” I hadn’t realized Nathan’s family had a foundation, but that’s not surprising since I know very little about anything recently. “Are you sure you want me to do this? I don’t want to mess anything up for Nathan.”

“Oh, sweetie. You’ll do great. Nathan said he was hoping you’d accept his offer because you’d have a fresh set of eyes on the party details. We have to appeal to the masses, so we need a hip perspective too.”