Chapter 53

"Hadassah!"

Tears burn behind my eyes. "Hi, mama." My voice broke, words falling into the fracture.

She comes up so close to the camera, her face fills the iMac screen, the same glossy white as the Calacatta marble countertops. A faceless man stands out of frame, positioned behind her with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Baby, what the hell is happening? Where are you? It's been months! I haven't seen or heard for you in months, Hadassah! And these men—" she jerks around to throw a glare at them, "—came in talkin funny and saying that had to 'extract' me and relocate me to a secure location. Talkin like those people from that call of duty game Calum used to play. They moved me because they said you were in danger—"

"I'm fine," I interject mid-rant.

"—girl I know you weren't talkin back. Shut your mouth and tell me where you are and what's going on, or so God help me!"

"I know this is a lot to process—and I'm sorry—but I can explain."* I can't explain.*

What do I even tell her? *It's all your fault.*

"Hadassah?"

I find that the best lies always have a fragment of the truth. So I tell her, almost, everything. She knows what I do, the risks and perils of inciting the fury of embittered businessmen or underworld leaders. My former obsession with Zenith. She knows. But she doesn't won't know how far it's gotten. I confess my role in it, but instead I omit Gaza's involvement, and expound on how I dug into the shady dealings of the company's opposition. And when I threatened to expose them, they threatened to un-alive me and all of this is just a safety precaution for when the news breaks out.

She nods slowly, believing the lie. "Then why can't you stay with me? Hadassah, for months, no one could give me your whereabouts. I wasn't even sure if you were alive."

I nod guiltily. "I know. But we can't be together, it's for your own safety. It's me in harm's way, but you could be collateral if we're together and they do come for me."

"I don't give a damn. Mama bear protects her cubs, not the other way around. I don't need you making decisions for me without my input, you hear me?" Her eyes dart past me. "Who's that?"

I glance over my shoulder. Torin flashes a charming smile.

"He's—"

"Derek Lannister, the head of Miss Moor's security detail." *Right, she can't know he's a Moon.*

Her eyes narrow, simmering with suspicion. "Don't I know you from somewhere, boy?"

He shakes his head with convincing cluelessness. "I highly doubt that."

She huffs, her eyes assessing him inquiringly. Then looks looks away from him. "Looks like you're in good hands," she says to me in a gossiping voice like he can't hear.

"She is," Torin responds regardless. "I can assure you. Your daughter is safe in my expert care, and the men I sent to guard you is simply a precaution. I like to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Particularly in this case, where my enemies have voiced their malicious intentions. So I want both of you protected if they do choose to exact retribution."

Her nods grow impatient. "I understand that, your men informed me, but I haven't seen my baby in months. When can either of us go home?"

He includes me in his look. "Soon. Once the threat is neutralized and I have deemed the situation safe, she can return home—you both can. And you will be able to move on with your lives."

"Good." She crucifies me with one look. "Because the first thing you gonna do is sign a letter of resignation, and quit this damn job." Her jaw begins to tremble. Her voice is shaky, rattling every word. "It's taken enough from you."

*You have no idea.*

I glance up to keep the tears from falling. "It's going to be okay, ma. I promise. I'll be home soon and this will all be over." Don't make promises you can't keep.

Her lips tear apart like she's going to say something, but she cuts herself off, her hands fly to shoulders, palms exposed in the pinnacle of wordless exasperation. She shakes her head vigorously, like she refuses to grasp what I'm telling her. And I can't blame her. I upturned her world around with one fell swoop.

She lets it go.

"And what about Calum?"

My body draws closer. "What about him?"

"Is he in their custody, too? Because he's not home. Before the men in black took me, Jolyn called, worried about her son—naturally. A few weeks after that, she appraised me that he had called her out of the blue just to tell them that he's okay, but he won't be coming back to town for a long while. He never mentioned where he was going."

Torin and I trade looks.

"Mom, I don't want you to worry about this. I'll handle it—"

"You always do," she snaps, her face contorts into a pained sob. "And it's my fault. You've been taking care of me ever since your daddy died, working hard, paying bills. I should have never let you carry all that by yourself."

My throat goes raw from the sob grating on the back of my throat. "The only reason we won't on the streets before is that you were juggling two jobs to keep us afloat whilst he was wasting away. I was just repaying the favour."

She looks above the camera, listening to someone else speak, a hushed voice mumbling in the background.

"That's all I get." She burns them under her scorching scrutiny. "One minute with my daughter like I'm in prison?"

They go back and forth before she eventually concedes.

"You there," my ma beckons, "pretty boy."

Torin comes closer, grinning from ear to ear.

"Take care of my baby."

He bows his head sombrely. "With my life."

"And Hadassah." Her eyes shimmering from a fresh swell of tears. "Be strong, continue being so strong. God knows how you have been for me."

"I love you, mama."

She smiles sadly. "I love you more."

The video call ends.

I sniff a few times, my gaze falls to the ground. "I thought the reward only came after the deed. And I know you haven't met with the cryptographer."

"You deserve, even if it was only a moment, with your mother. I'm sorry it couldn't be more." His eyes flicker with remorse. "Besides, it was always my plan."

A smile defeats my resistance. "I don't believe you would engage in a transaction that wasn't mutually beneficial."

"And you're right." He flaunts his pearly whites. "My reward was to see you smile again, the same way you're doing right now."

I try to stop. But I can't.

"Stop trying," he reproaches. "That would be like wanting to turn off the sun."

Ridiculously flustered, I look away momentarily, heat stinging my cheeks. "So you want nothing more then?"

"Hadassah," he says with all solemnity. "Given what you've been through, do you truly think so little of me that I would demand that of you?"

My brows climb to my hairline. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

He casts me an offended look. "I'm a gentleman."

"You even told me that there is no such thing as a gentleman."

"*Neonata*," he says with blasé buoyancy. "When will you learn that I am the exception?"

*So damn cocky*. Something about it reminds me of my other half. My better half.

I stand up from the kitchen stool. "I have to find Calum. And you're going to help me."

Torin crosses his arms challengingly. "I'll have to think about that, long and hard—no."

He throws up a silencing hand. I hold back for now.

"Don't get distracted. Your little boy toy is a big boy. If he left long before our divergence with my brother, he's out of his line of fire. He wouldn't dedicate resources to finding him when he can just use it to get you himself. Yes, we would use him as bait. But even if he caught him, he'd somehow make it known to everyone to get the message to us that he has him. But he hasn't. I don't know where, but your boy is in the wind. You know what you need to do."

I drag my feet to the open-concept lounge.

I settle in the centre of the flamboyant long couch; I take up the journal and pen. Two more pages left. And in due time, I complete it. The work is finished. It's finally finished. I drop my head back, simply turning my head to the right to feast my eyes on the scenic view beyond. Strands of feeble light come from the sky. Clouds shaped like tufty pillows glide slowly across the dome of pale blue, spires and apexes of buildings spear through its endless torso. A rare and uncanny peace descends, lulling me to sleep.