Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
I looked down. My posture was formal, feet on the floor, hands in my lap. The only thing that gave away my nerves was the fact that I was white-knuckling my phone. I loosened my grip on it and thought about what I had to do. I loved Kage, and breaking up with him was the last thing I wanted. He knew that by now, didn’t he? I wasn’t sure if anyone could make him believe otherwise, but I was damn sure going to try. I’d give the best performance of my life in order to save his, because I had no choice.
I made the call.
Chapter 14
(KAGE)
I shoved my phone into my pocket and stormed out of my apartment, reaching Santori’s door in just a few strides and pounding furiously on it.
“Open this door, motherfucker! I know you’re in there!” When there was no answer, I let him know just how serious I was. “You’ve got ten seconds, before I tear my way through this door, old man. And God help you when I do.”
On the count of five, I already had images of his body crumpled and bloody from the beating I was going to give him. My adrenaline spiked deliciously just thinking about it. I was almost disappointed when, on the count of nine, the bastard clicked the lock.
“Michael.” Santori stood there holding a full glass of red wine. He didn’t open the door all the way, but rather filled the opening with his body and leaned against the door edge, his hand anchoring it in place at the top. My uncle always looked evil, with his smug smile and dead eyes. But in the aftermath of Sunday’s hypnosis session, now that I’d regained my memories, he’d officially graduated from demon to devil. All I could see when I looked at him now was the leer he’d donned seventeen years ago as he taunted me into killing my own brother in cold blood. The phantom flavor of pistachio ice cream flooded my mouth, and I nearly vomited.
“What have you done to Jamie?” I demanded in a strained voice.
Santori’s eyebrows drew together in an Oscar-worthy expression of bewilderment, and he slowly tipped his glass up and took a sip of wine. “Michael, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I haven’t done a thing to that boy. Though he’s enough of a nuisance, I probably should. He’s attempting to singlehandedly ruin your life, and by association, mine. I’m not accustomed to just standing by and letting people ruin my life. Typically, I do something about it.”
“Like what?” I reached out and pushed the door open, catching Santori off guard. He wasn’t quick enough to stop me, though I could tell he wanted to. The inside of his apartment was so sterile it was hard to believe anyone actually lived in it.
“I’m busy, Michael, and I don’t have time for your drama tonight. Can’t we talk about this another time? Perhaps you could make an appointment.” His affected boredom didn’t ring true. Something was definitely up with him.
“No, we can’t talk about this another time. We’ll talk about it now. I know you did something to Jamie— got to him somehow. He just called me and told me he doesn’t want to see me anymore, and I know he wouldn’t have done that of his own free will. This reeks of Peter Santori.”
“I told you I don’t have time for your bullshit, Kage.” Warning bells went off in my head. His irritable tone and the fact that he’d called me by my middle name were visible cracks in his flawless facade, letting me know without a doubt that I was getting to him. For once, Peter Santori was losing his cool, and that was not a good thing when Jamie’s wellbeing was involved.
When he laughed a hollow laugh and pushed me toward the door, I pushed back. “I’m not going anywhere until you give me some answers.”
“What was the question?” he huffed, stepping aside so that I could move farther into the room.
“Where the hell is my boyfriend?”
Santori rolled his eyes, rolling the thin stem of his wine glass between his thumb and forefinger. He was nervous.
“You slimy piece of shit. I swear on my mother’s grave, if anything has happened to him, I’ll fucking kill you. I’ll snap your neck and piss on your worthless corpse, and watch every second as your dead eyes turn gray. I’ll smile the whole time, you fucking sick bastard.” I realized that my voice had gradually gotten louder and stronger, and that I’d backed Santori halfway across the room. His knees came up against the glass coffee table, and he sat down on it with a thump. I looked down at him, and he cowered. The most brutal man I’d ever known, a psychopath of the highest order who was afraid of nothing and no one, was cowering in fear of me.