“Really?” I twirl a strand of blonde hair around my finger. “That’s the story you’re going with? A thirteen-year-old girl suggests to Noah that her father might have something to help his brother, an idea planted in her head by her own father all so that he has a scapegoat if it goes wrong. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, you and Howard Malloy had a very different arrangement.”
That gets a reaction. The senator’s jaw tightens. His eyes flick to the door. He’s starting to wonder what’s taking his security team so long.
Noah’s fingers tighten in mine. Still, he doesn’t speak. But that’s okay – I have swallowed enough venom for both of us. “You see, I know a few things about you, too, Senator Marlowe. I know that you came to my father as one of his elite clients – Howard Malloy might’ve made his name in cheap supplements made from supposedly ancient wisdom, but his real fortune came from mixing performance enhancers to order. Drugs to make athletes stronger, faster, better, and that couldn’t be detected in a drug test. A ticket to stardom that only the super-rich could afford.”
“This is absurd. Noah, I don’t know what lies this demon girl has fed you, but you can’t believe I would endanger Felix’s career by doing something illegal. You need to stop this—”
“Oh, Senator Marlowe, don’t you worry – Noah and I did our research. We know that supplements made from antler velvet are legal. No, what I know is that you paid my father a large sum of money to source a massive shipment from New Zealand so he could use the velvet in far higher concentrations than normal. The lab testing showed incredible results but warned of dangerous side effects. You ignored those warnings. You were determined your son would be on the Olympic team no matter what.”
“Being a good father, wanting the best for my children, this warrants you entering my home and putting a gun to my head?” The senator’s eyes flick to the door again.
Noah snorts. It’s the first sound he’s made since we entered the room. I dare a glance over at him, and I can see how tense his muscles are, how the corner of his mouth twitches. His eyes flick to Tiberius’ gun, and I can see the lust for violence burning in them.
Noah has imagined this moment for a long time. I bet he never thought Mackenzie Malloy would be at his side. And she is, in a weird way. The Senator believes Mackenzie is the one behind this because of what he did to her, and I stand her for her revenge, too.
“Without waiting for further clinical trials, you gave the supplement to your teenage son. Felix’s undiagnosed hormone condition reacted to the concentration of growth hormone in the antler velvet. Your son – Noah’s brother – died a terrifying, painful death. You were so determined to make him the best that you killed him, and then you decided to blame a thirteen-year-old girl for your actions so your surviving son would have someone to hate, so that no one would fault you for what you did next.”
The senator laughs – a barking sound that has no mirth to it. His finger stabs at the panic button again. “I’d like to see your proof. All you have is a wild story with no basis in fact.”
“That’s exactly what I have.” I hold up a paper. “I have all the evidence right here. It’s interesting this never came out in the court case. In fact, it’s interesting there even was a court case at all.”
“Mom wanted the trial.” Noah’s eyes flicker to Felix’s portrait, and he squares his shoulders. I wonder what it must feel like to stand here with his father at gunpoint, feeling as though his saint of a brother watches from on high. Noah advances on his father, leaning over him. Tiberius holds out the gun, and Noah watches the barrel as it aims at his father’s cheek. “You tried to convince her to drop it, but she was so distraught that you had to give in. I’m guessing you and Malloy had some kind of agreement. You’d sue Malloy, but he hid the evidence of your involvement and the initial laboratory reports so no one knew who funded the supplements or just how deadly they were. Just a mistake – a terrible, preventable tragedy. You get to appear the concerned father in front of