The Rebirth of Sin (Wicked Trinity Book 2) (28 page)

“You deserve it, Keaton.” She looked off into space as if remembering and pointed to the right side of her neck. “It doesn’t detract from the way the man looks—and I can see why you wouldn’t think he’s real but… I hate to ask. What happened to him? I noticed the burn scars. I didn’t want to ask him directly. Since a fire burned down Rebirth, my mind is going wild. Did you know him from there?”

I sat on the edge of the couch and leaned across my lap. “No. Not really. He was there, but I don’t ever remember us interacting. He had to change his identity to hide from Noah. If Noah knew he was alive…”

“I would never, Keaton. You know that. Not that I ever want to come in contact with Noah again…but you know me. It’s probably cathartic to find someone to share those experiences with.” 

“No one could understand what we’ve been through. I’m…so thankful that he’s in my life.” I sat back on the couch, recalling what I remembered about Sander—there wasn’t very much beyond his dark hair and tall frame. It was as though he was constantly in my blind spot. I was glad I couldn’t remember. If I had, I wasn’t sure if our unusual relationship would’ve ensued, because I never would’ve allowed myself to open up to him.

I thought I would feel remorse or guilt over acting out of character for one occasion. But the sensation he left me with was one that demanded…more.

I balanced the tray of four coffees as I stepped up the stairs leading to my mother’s office at F.A.C.E. She turned the conference room into campaign central until she could find prime property for her official office. A small part of her might’ve believed there was a chance she wouldn’t win, and purchasing an office would be a reminder of a time she failed. My mother never knew of the word failure. She would never allow herself to associate with it in any way.

As she spoke to Veronica, her campaign manager and Brandy’s mother, she waved her hand over at me. “Where have you been?” She gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“The line was out of control,” I explained in reference to my delay at the coffee shop. I set the tray down on a free corner of the conference table. “It took me two hours to get your coffee.”

“I need your opinion.” She clutched my shoulders and directed me over to the table containing photographs of possible suits for her to wear. “Veronica has said that it would be a good idea for me to visit homeless shelters, but I’m not sure which would best, nor what I should wear. Red…or blue? Black would be too garish.”

“You’re asking me about visiting a homeless shelter?” I questioned. 

“Well, you may not be an authority on it, but you associated with a few of the homeless for some time. You help out at the soup kitchen every now and again, don’t you? You know how they think.”

Jeff could no longer be considered one of them. He could’ve been mentally unhinged and unable to thrive in the world, but he had every reason to be that way. Maybe, like me, he was running from something that meant him harm. While for me it was Gregory, for him it might’ve been the mindset of the people around him when he was a part of the world. “They are really just people, Mom.”

“I need more than that, Keaton. I don’t have to tell you how awful the homelessness in D.C. is. It’s one of my talking points, and I’m due on the Carly Ross show tomorrow. I want to have a photo op at a shelter before I go.”

“You know”—Veronica pointed to her smile and then to my face, reminding me to look pleasant—“you should bring Keaton along. It would be a win for the interview.”

I looked at my mother in a panic. 

“Keaton and I have spoken about it,” my mother informed her. “We’re not going to force her to endure the media blitz.”

“Everyone, hush!” My mother’s assistant, Pacey, stood on a chair and fanned her hands down as she pointed at the television.

I followed everyone’s line of sight. The person I saw on the screen made me pause. Adam; it was clear he and Nadine hadn’t stopped their need to gather as much attention as they could. Being that they were in town, it seemed logical for them to stop by the Carly Ross Show to continue to rehash their story. The ticker tape: “Shocker about wannabe senator, Sherilynn Mara’s daughter” caught my attention.

“Thank you for joining us today, Adam,” Carly greeted Adam.

“It’s an honor to be here, Mrs. Ross.”

“I’d like to provide some background information for my audience in case they are unaware. You were taken, against your will, to participate in a cult aptly titled Rebirth. You were beaten, at some points starved, and sexually assaulted while there. It has been said that there was a mastermind behind this cult, Shiloh Oliver, who called himself the Revenant. While not much information has been found on him, and the media has been scouring and offering quite a high price for pictures of him, nothing has been found. You and Nadine have also declined to give us a sketch of his face as well.” Carly Rose dramatically held up her hands and quickly dropped them. “The public wants to know why?”

“It might be something that we blocked out, but I know it’s something we can’t do,” Adam commented.

“We’ve heard your story multiple times as you detailed the horrible conditions and what you were forced to endure. The amount of people who have died there total somewhere around one hundred and six. Some were found in the septic system, while other’s remains were found buried in a forest a mere quarter of a mile from the property. Forensic scientists also have reason to believe that some victims were cremated. We know the story. We’ve heard yours and Nadine’s story all over the news over the last year. While you’ve disclosed quite a bit, you’ve avoided speaking about the one woman who everyone is dying to know about. Did you sit down to interview with us because you want to share what you know about Keaton Mara?”

“I did,” Adam answered with a grin.

“You’ve refused to discuss her in previous interviews. Why the sudden change, Adam?”

“Nadine and I were paid off by her mother to keep Keaton out of our stories, because what we know could negatively affect Keaton, her mother, and the campaign.”

“For the record, you are speaking of Keaton’s mother, Sherilynn Mara?”

“Yes, I am.” 

“We all know that you were there when Keaton was kidnapped and kept within the Rebirth Cult. Can you tell me what you knew about her?”

“She was a very volatile and troubled girl,” Adam said, “but what we weren’t supposed to say, is that Keaton was never kidnapped. She was there voluntarily.”

“But this is a cult,” Carly deduced, “who captures people for a specific purpose and their tactics were severe. Could you say that she was maybe coerced into joining?”

“Not at all. She came at the request of Reven, the leader. She knew that Gregory Mitchum was there, and understandably, she wanted to take her revenge. Honestly, if anyone wants to know what Reven looks like, Keaton would be the best person to ask. She spent a lot of time with him—intimately.”

“Are you stating that the cult was some sort of revenge cult?”

“Yes,” Adam replied. “We were all prisoners there. Held there by people who thought we wronged them; Keaton was one of those people.”

“Gregory Mitchum’s remains were found in the wreckage of the cult and evidence suggested that he didn’t perish in the blaze but was, in fact, shot.”

Adam nodded. “Keaton was the last one to see Gregory alive.”

“Are you inferring that Keaton may have had something to do with Gregory Mitchum’s murder and that she was in fact, not a victim, but a possible perpetrator?”

“I’m not saying anything. Let the video speak for itself.”

Carly turned to the camera. “The video Adam is speaking of is the one he brought with him today. And we will go to that exclusive footage—the only footage available to show what life was like inside the Rebirth Cult.”

A video feed played, showing a door inside the Rebirth house. I wasn’t exactly sure of what the door led to until I saw myself enter the room with Nadine. After Nadine left, Gregory entered. A few minutes were cut and it ended with Nadine standing in the doorway, waiting for me. Thick clouds of smoke obscured the surroundings. One action was visible; I made an exit and Nadine grabbed my arm, pulling me to leave.

“Now, it is clear that there is another woman in this scenario and she has been positively identified as Nadine Tungsten, your wife.”

“My wife was just as brainwashed as anyone else. She only did what she was told to do by Keaton. Understandably, she’s very afraid of her and didn’t want to come on camera. Keaton had threatened her, and she felt obligated to help Keaton after the blaze was set.”

Inside the conference room, various phones began to ring simultaneously and worsened my headache. Unable to feel my limbs, I stood frozen in place.

At once, everyone in the room turned to me, shooting differing glances in my direction. 

Excusing myself, I left the office and disappeared inside the ladies’ bathroom down the hall, locking the door behind me. Persistent knocking and my mother’s voice called out on the other end. I paced the empty bathroom, losing my ability to function normally. My phone began to ring. I tried to ignore it, but the name across it read, Braedan.

“Keaton, can you hear me?” His naturally quiet and soft voice was remarkably calm.

I panted through the phone, unable to expel any coherent sentiments. The phone shook in my hand and felt too heavy to hold to my ear.

“Put your head between your legs and breathe.”

I bowed over, squatting on the floor with legs spread and the phone pressed to my ear.

“I want you to take counted breaths. Five in, five out.”

I tried to control my breathing and do as he suggested, only to fail repeatedly. “I-I can’t.”

“Remember last night? Remember it and breathe like you did last night.”

“That’s not helping,” I said through a gasp, “it’s making it harder to breathe.”

He laughed. “It was pretty incredible wasn’t it?”

Giving into his infectious laughter, I found it easier to breathe normally. “More than incredible,” I mumbled.

“Careful, you’re feeding my ego again.”

“Good. You deserve it. I don’t know if I ever had a fantasy of the kind of relationship I wanted. I don’t think it matters now. You
are
my fantasy.”

“The craving is becoming insatiable, do you have to exacerbate it, Keaton?”

I remembered his hands, his mouth…his touch. “You
crave
me?”

“Was there any doubt?”

I was immediately thrust from one emotion to another. 

“Everything will be okay,” he repeated until I caught my breath.

“How did you know how to help me?”

“There was a point in my life where I experienced panic attacks in public.”

“You used to get panic attacks? Why?”

“Another story for another time.”

“Did you see the entire interview?” I asked, standing upright. “The police will probably start questioning me thanks to what Adam said. What if they believe them? What if they want to bring charges against me for perjury?”

“When you are called in for questioning, you will be provided with a lawyer—my lawyer. One person’s account won’t be enough to hold you for long. Say nothing, let the lawyer do the talking. Afterward, I need you to be patient and trust me. You won’t be a person of interest for long. Adam’s statements will be recanted.”

“How can you do that?”

“My company is one reason. The friends I have are the other. I will use every resource available to discredit Adam. After you are released from questioning, I need you to do something right away. It’s the final piece to ensure this can never happen again. You are the final piece. You have to tell your story, Keaton. All of it.”

“I-I don’t think I can. Our stories are the same, aren’t they? Can’t you tell your story?”

“I didn’t change my name only to hide from Noah. The criminal family I told you about? They have been searching for me. I’d rather not have to worry about them unless I absolutely have to. Right now, you are my prime concern, and I want to keep it that way. You can do this. If not to save yourself, think about others who might’ve been in a similar situation. Show them your strength so they can find their own. Can you do that, Keaton?”

“Yes, I think I can.”

“I’ll do my part to make sure Adam pays for what he did. You do yours and you’ll have the final say on his lack of credibility.”  

 I slapped my forehead and shook my head. “After helping me out again, I…really want to thank you. You helped my mother and you constantly help me in so many ways, Braedan. I’m really glad things worked out the way they did, and we were able to meet.” 

“What I did, what I will continue to do, is the very least of what I can do.”

“Did you see the interview entirely? I’m worried that more than a few people believed him. Why don’t you believe him? Why do you so easily believe I’m this good person?”

“Is there something wrong with thinking the best of you? Do you want people to see you the way Adam tried to portray you? As a monster?”

“No. I’m not used to someone like you thinking the best of me and treating me like I’m…rare gold.”