life.”
“You’re not doing this for me, you’re doing it for your grandson. Your own flesh and blood whom you gloat about all the time. You owe him that.”
“Do not lecture us, young lady.” Brian stands up, his shoulders crowding with tension.
“I’m not lecturing you. I’m asking you to do the right thing and help Sebastian.”
“And then what?” Debra takes a sip of her tea. “Say we do as you suggest, will you leave this time?”
“Mom…” Nate warns.
“What? Her father killed Nicholas!”
“After you sent him away. After you disowned him because of your foolish pride. You’re as guilty as the killer.”
Her lips tremble. “Blame me all you like, but the murderer’s daughter doesn’t get to be with my grandson. Surely even you can see how messed up this whole thing is.”
“That’s for her and Sebastian to decide, not you. Stop meddling, stop trying to make your word law, and stop being an unpleasant presence. Just stop.”
Debra’s hand shakes and some tea spills over the rim of the cup she is holding as she places the saucer on the table. She stares at Nate as if he’s grown three heads. “Nathaniel! Did you call my presence unpleasant?”
“Do the right thing.” Nate’s gaze flits between his parents. “For once in your self-indulgent lives, do something for someone other than yourselves.”
The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Both Brian and Debra seem like they want to hit Nate for his insolence and he appears to be waiting for any move just so he can hit back.
“I know you care about Sebastian,” I say quietly as they keep glaring at each other. “And while I can’t promise to stay away from him, I promise to get your grandson back. So please help me help him.”
It’s late when Kai and I leave the Weaver mansion. Brian and Debra are still making calls and pulling strings, and while I’d rather stay there and make sure everything’s going according to plan, it’s obvious that our presence isn’t appreciated.
As a compromise, Nate remained behind to keep an eye on his parents and will send us updates when everything’s done.
At this rate, Sebastian will spend the night in the cell, all alone and cold, just like seven years ago.
The thought of what my father—and Akira—would do to him just to prove a point drops my blood pressure and makes me feel faint.
“Do you think they’re torturing him?” I ask Kai as he drives down a deserted road.
“Could be.”
The world closes in on me from all sides. My stomach churns and nausea assaults me in blinding waves. “Stop the car.”
Kai hits the brakes and I struggle with the handle before I nearly throw myself out. I use the door for balance to keep myself standing and suck in long intakes of fresh air.
It manages to chase away the nausea, but it doesn’t erase the constant ache in my stomach.
Kai appears in front of me, one hand in his pocket and the other offering me a handkerchief. That’s when I realize tears are sliding down my cheeks.
I wipe them away fast, not wanting him to see me this weak and out of sorts.
“You care about him that much?”
I bunch the handkerchief in a fist. “Why else would I sacrifice seven years of my life?”
“I figured it was because of Mio.”
“She’s not the only reason.”
“Why him? His family thinks so little of you, and not only that, your father was the reason he was orphaned.”
“We don’t really get to choose who. It just happens. Like it just happened that you saved me nineteen years ago.”
“That was neither coincidence nor fate. I decided to take action.”
“Then take it again.” I release a long breath, trying not to sound helpless or like I planned this all along when I allowed him to come. “Help me, Kai.”
His features remain unchanged, though he tilts his head to the side slightly as if that will allow him a better view of me. “With what?”
“I have something on Akira, an image I can threaten him with for the rest of his life, but I don’t have anything on my father. In fact, he has Mio to hold over my head. Even if I get Sebastian out this time, there’s no guarantee that he won’t kill him just to put me in my place. And I can’t…” I gulp past the lump that’s gathered in my throat. “I can’t live in that type of fear anymore.”
“I don’t see where I come into this.”
“You can give me