Griff's eyes widened. He glanced around the room he was in. Clearing my throat, I lowered my head and repeated loudly, "I saw Mark."
A shadow passed over Griff's face. He slid his hand over his left cheek, then his right, before letting out an awkward laugh. "How did that go?" He folded both of his hands in front of him as he smiled. "Did you guys talk about old times?"
I lifted just my eyes, glaring at him. "Don't fuck with me."
Griff looked up above his camera before lifting it. He carried it out of the room and into another. There was less light in it. I struggled to see his face until he stood beside a window. As if he knew, he opened the blinds, allowing the street to brighten the room. "What do you want to know, Gio?" he asked.
I thought it was obvious. "Everything," I said.
"Be specific." Griff lifted his brows.
Just like him to beat around the bush. I didn't have time for his games. Leaning back, I rubbed my hands together and growled. I needed him to know the seriousness of my situation. "My daughter doesn't have a mother anymore."
His jaw dropped.
"Yeah, so," I clapped my hands together before opening them wide, "I saw Mark, my ex is dead, and I found out some things."
Griff slid his hand over his face before rubbing his chin. He couldn't look at his camera because that meant he had to look at me. And looking at me meant dealing with his mistakes, right? "So when were you going to tell me, hm?" I asked. "Was it some big secret? Mark had agreed to the same contract as me, or was it after?" I opened my hands at arm's length. "Expand. And explain."
"It wasn't, I mean—" Griff moved over to a different spot in the room—a metal chair. I saw the corners behind him. With a heavy sigh, he looked back at that camera.
"So, why didn't you tell me my best friend was experimented on just like I was?" I asked.
"Because Gio," he closed his eyes, "you didn't ask."
My brows lifted. Was it that easy? I could've just asked, huh? "How was I supposed to know if—"
"Gio," Griff cut me off, "you never ask the right questions. You sort of wait," he waved his free hand around, "and expect answers."
Well, shit. I laughed. This wasn't the first time in one day someone told me this. That was a flaw I'd work on.
"But since you're asking, I supposed I shall tell you, hm?" Griff repositioned his camera in front of him/He folded one leg over the other, then relaxed his hands on his knees. "Paxton had sent out ads for assistance with building the perfect crime. The pay was massive; the criminal activity was intimidating. The job had been up for weeks before someone called the number."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "Let me guess; that person was Mark."
Griff nodded. "In exchange for immunity, he would set up the perfect crime, Gio. Mark was the mastermind."
So, it had been Mark all along, not Tommy. I chased and killed the wrong man. "So, the robbery was fake?" I licked my lip and snorted through my nose. Was that why the police let them go with the money we'd stolen?
Griff clicked his teeth. "No, it was very real. We placed the proper pieces to ensure a desired result."
Desired result. Interesting. "Okay." I looked over at Kimi. She stood beside me, listening to everything. With her hand over her mouth, she tried to hide her expression. But she couldn't. I saw it clear as day. Surprised. Confused.
Griff my full attention. "So, when I was a kid, I was right, that's what you're telling me? I was framed," I said.
"Yes, yes," Griff brushed off what I said as if it wasn't important, "Mark helped us do it all. He picked the bank. We selected the police department who would fabricate evidence. All parties were paid for their time and participation. All of this was to create," he pointed at the camera, "you."
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."