Page 31 of His Dark Purpose

“I called the guy she’s living with.”

Jonah hadn’t known Seth so fixated with their mum for a long time. He’d barely seemed to want anything to do with her while he was inside, yet back out on the streets, she seemed to be the first person he wanted.

“The one who got you off those charges?” Seth’s tone was knowing.

How the fuck did Seth know about that? The tension in his body tightened. Maybe their mum had told him, but then, as far as Jonah knew, Seth and Amy hadn’t interacted much since she’d met Kyle.

“Yeah, that’s the one… William Kyle.”

“And?” Seth prompted.

“And he said she was sleeping.” Jonah frowned. “Though that is a bit weird because Mum never—”

“Naps,” Seth interrupted, finishing the sentence for him.

“Right.”

Silence stretched out as both young men contemplated what that meant. The man their mum was living with might have lied about her whereabouts, but why would he do that?

“Do you like this Kyle guy?” Seth broke the strained hush. “Do you trust him?”

“Well, he helped me.” Jonah shrugged, although his brother wasn’t there to witness the gesture. “He’s rich, and he’s generous, but I wouldn’t say I trusted him…”

“And?” Seth repeated. “I can tell there’s more you want to say.”

Jonah had no idea how incarceration had changed Seth, but the guy on the other end of the line was precisely the way he recalled his brother being—bold, brash, and unconcerned about the consequences of his words or actions.

He’d almost missed him.

“I always thought the whole set-up was weird.” He closed his eyes, remembering the immensity of Brock Hall. “I mean, Kyle lives in this fucking huge house in the middle of nowhere on his own, and when Mum moved in, it was clear there was something going on between them.”

“Why is that weird?” The noise of a siren rushing past Seth’s location temporarily drowned out his voice. “They’re both adults, aren’t they?”

“Sure,” Jonah answered, trying not to sound too defensive. “But you know, she was still telling me she worked for him at that point, and they were clearly into one another. I just found it all a little… odd.”

“Do you think Kyle was lying about Mum when you called?” Seth’s trademark directness manifested fresh trepidation in Jonah’s head.

Whywould Kyle lie, and if hewaslying, what was their mum really doing when he called?

Is she okay?

“I’m not sure, Seth, and that’s the truth, but…” he paused, unsure why he was hesitating. “I mean, I’m sure she’s fine.”

“Are you?” Seth pressed. “Because you don’t sound sure.”

Don’t I?Jonah’s brows knitted.

“Why would he do so much to look after her—and me—then do something to hurt her now?” Jonah tried to sound nonchalant, but even to his ears, the attempt was hollow. He was worried. It wasn’t like their mum to be too busy to speak to him, and even if she was, she would have called him back.

Maybe somethingwaswrong?

“Because people are assholes.” Seth tutted as though his younger brother was an idiot. “And sometimes, men can be particular jerks. I should know, mate. I’ve just been stuck in a cell with a variety of those assholes for the last few years.”

“Yeah.” Seth’s apparent concern was doing nothing to make Jonah feel better. He didn’t think Kyle was an asshole—the guy had always been good to him—but then, what did Jonah really know about him? “Do you think I should call her back?”

“How about you give me the address where she’s staying?” Seth’s voice was clearer suddenly, as though he’d stepped inside a building and the noise of the traffic had been eradicated. “I reckon I’ll pop in, introduce myself to this bloke, and see how she is.”

“You’re going togothere?” Jonah’s heart raced, though he wasn’t immediately sure what had provoked his anxiety.

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