Double Edge | WATTYS 2023 SHORTLIST + AMBYS 2023 WINNER

Chapter 18

Me? "You said you needed an innocent man. Someone who developed a lot of rage—"

"Exactly." Griff slowly nodded.

My brows shot up. "You created my anger! I wasn't like this before!" I wasn't the best kid, but I wasn't this. A murder had never been a thought.

"Ah, ah," Griff shook a finger, "we created the crime. Your rage developed on its own. Sure, we ripped you from your life. You were the victim. But," with a big, Botoxed smile, he shrugged, "I came and offered you a contract—a deal. Become our experiment, and you walk free. You didn't hesitate."

I tongued my cheek. "I did, though."

"Not enough to decline. I offered you freedom, and you jumped like a dog." He stared at the camera for a moment before laughing.

So, I was a dog. He gave the orders, I followed the commands; he said bark, and I asked how loud. I couldn't live this way anymore.

Leaning in toward the camera, he scratched his chin. He grinned. "You were a success, Gio. You adapted so well; we knew we could create another like you. We needed more strong enhanced beings! You would've been an intense team!"

Griff sounded so excited over something that had destroyed my entire life. As he said, I was the victim. A casualty in an experiment. For what? To become stronger, faster, and better? If I could go back in time, I'd tell myself to turn down the contract. Or even better; I'd sever my friendship with Mark.

But Maggie wouldn't be alive. I looked back at the screen. I'd be a shell of myself without my child.

"Life's a double edge sword, isn't it?" Griff placed his chin on his palm. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

Pressing my thumb into my palm, I watched the color turn pink with pressure. "Double edge or not, Griff," I glanced at his face, "you made decisions against us, not for us."

Griff leaned back against his seat. "Do I need to remind you that you are our property?"

Slowly, I nodded. I chuckled. Fuck him. Fuck Paxton.

I glanced back at Kimi before hovering my hand over the keyboard. "Well, you can't have property if I'm dead." Kimi hurried and grabbed my shoulder the second I slammed my finger down against the exit key, cutting the call. Her fingers pressed against my bandages, so hard I hissed. I faced her, pulling her hand away. "Kimi."

"No, no, no." Kimi shook her head. "You can't just give up, okay? You still have a chance."

"I don't." I sighed and touched her face. "You heard Griff. I'm property."

"Still, no." Kimi grabbed both of my hands with hers. She drew in a shaky breath. Her arms shook. Two tears fell from her eyes before she looked up at me. She came closer, chest against mine. "You can't die, okay."

I closed my eyes. "I died the second I signed that contract."

There, I said it—the truth. I could've been alive in prison, or I could've avoided this all and tried to live a good life. But I made every wrong turn possible. With Paxton Corp. I veered off the road straight down a rocky cliff. Griff made it clear with little words; Paxton wasn't ready to let me go. And with Mark, Griff had big plans for us. He saw this as an opportunity.

"Gio..." Kimi looked up at me with tearful eyes. She never saw me as a stepping stone like Griff. Becoming an engineer and technician with Paxton Corp. had to look great on a resume. But I knew after months of working with her, having her look out for me, it was more than a job for her. She genuinely cared for me.

Touching her face, I thought about how I felt the same. Kimi was the first person I called when I was upset. Aside from my mom, she was the only one who never left me behind, never judged me. Seeing the pain in her eyes because she spent months helping me seek my revenge; hurt me. I had to tell her. If I had lied to her, I would've made this worse.

"Gio..." she repeated my name, and I closed the space between us. My hand settled on the small of her back. My forehead gently pressed against hers. As I scanned her eyes, words settled on my tongue. What could I say? Nothing came to mind. I'd talk my ass off but not at a time like this.

"I love you," she whispered.

Loves me. She loves me. Fuck it.

I pulled Kimi to me and lifted her enough that our lips met. I meant for it to be gentle, sweet, expressing the soft part of my soul; the parts of me I couldn't express in words. But Kimi quickly reacted and grabbed me. Her arms wrapped around my neck, one hand flattening against the top of my head. Her nails softly pressed into my scalp, but when she sighed against my mouth, a soft moan, I lost it.

My heart erupted as I tilted my head and locked her lips into a heated kiss. My tongue demanded entrance. Kimi complied. Listening to her was always sweet music, voice like a guardian angel; she tasted the same. Heaven settled in my mouth as her kiss filled me. I stumbled back, lost my balance, and hit her desk. That didn't stop us.

I drove my hand into her hair, undoing her bun. My thumbs brushed over her cheeks, feeling the heat of her love against my palm. Opening my eyes, I caught her looking at me, searching my face. It was a look of disbelief. I felt the same.

But I knew I couldn't continue.

When Kimi inched up to kiss me again, I leaned back and brushed a finger over her bottom lip. "I need you to do something for me."

She pursed her lips as if waiting for me to tell her what I needed. Yet, the second I opened my mouth, a small voice came into the room. "Papi?" Both Kimi and I looked toward the door.

Leaning against it with her small hand on the doorknob, Maggie looked at us with wide, curious eyes. Anthony quickly followed behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders before shrugging. "Sorry, bro," he said. "You said to keep her busy, and I ain't good with kids."

With a snort, I moved away from Kimi and over to my daughter. I glanced at Anthony. "Did you get what my moms needed?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he said, then laughed. "She also said to tell you she's mad at you because you're late. She made all that food for you."

"Yeah, well," chuckling at what he said, I placed my hands on Maggie's shoulders, "I could be on time, and she'd still be mad."

Maggie blinked at me before scrunching her face. There were still tears in her eyes. I expected that. "I want to see abuela," she said.

I gave her a weak smile. She was stronger than I thought. Having just lost her mother and watched her die, Maggie kept calm. She didn't get that from me.

"Baby, I—" I started to say.

But Maggie closed her eyes, shook her head, and a tear fell. I frowned. There was the sadness I expected. I gently rubbed her shoulders. "You want to see abuela, mamita?"

Maggie nodded. I glanced up at Anthony. "You want to eat, too?"

"Eat?" Anthony blinked. "I, um—"

"My mom was cooking, right? You know she's gon' feed everyone. So if we're going to go—"

"Me too?" Anthony pointed at himself.

"—Then you better be hungry."