Page 4 of Betrayed

I couldn’t tell her thatKanewas a sociopath who got put away for trafficking sweet young things like herself—as well as moving a shit-ton ofFentanyland all kinds of other dangerous drugs.AndIcouldn’t tell her he was rich either—he probably is, but the way he’s getting his money from the outside is still from those twisted activities andIdidn’t want to have to explain that to her.

So this is whatKanewould drive—theKaneImade up forSunny.Thisdented, dirty pickup with faded blue paint and a crooked side mirror on the passenger’s side.

Kane wouldn’t wear whatI’mwearing either.Ihad on a suit whenIformally surrendered to serve my sentence.It’sway too expensive looking for the fictionalKaneand besides, it doesn’t really fit me anymore.Threesolid years of pumping iron has me bigger thanI’veever been, so everythingIhave on is too tight.

“You brought the clothes too?”Isay, raising my eyebrows atBranson.

“Yes, of course.”

He pulls aWalmartbag out of theBentley.I’venever worn anything fromWally-world in my life, butI’mnot too proud to wear clothes from there now.Bransonhas included some work boots too,Isee with satisfaction.Perfect.

“You’re absolutely sure you need to go on this, er, errand,Sir?”Bransonasks, frowning as he watches me examine the clothes and the truck.

“Absolutely.Oh, here—Iwon’t need this.”Ihand him theRolex. “Takecare of it for me, would you?I’llget it from you whenIfinish this.”

Branson pointedly doesn’t ask, “Finishwhat?”Hehas an idea of whatI’mdoing, but he’s too proper to ask for details.Hejust knowsIhave someoneIwant to visit on the way home—someone who doesn’t know me as me,ConnorJamesLowelltheThird.

“How long will you be?” he asks instead. “Wouldyou likeRichardsandIto follow you in theBentleyso you can ride back with us after your, er, errand?”

“No.”Ishake my head.Tobe honest,I’mnot completely sure how long this will take.Nottoo long,Idon’t think.Justlong enough to seeSunnyin person and have a piece of her famous pie. (Shemakes all the pies forThePieShopdiner, as well as waitressing there.)

Of course,Ithought about showing up and confessing the truth to her—letting her know howIfirst started reading and replying to her letters.Butagain,Iwas afraid of coming off as creepy.Idon’t want that.I’vebuiltKaneup as the perfect big brother.Well, not perfect but at least someone who’s willing to try.Allshe knows is that he went in for drug charges but he’s clean now and working hard to stay that way.

I don’t want to ruin the pretty pictureIpainted for her in my letters.Iwant tobethat perfect big brother—to give her a hug and thank her for her encouragement and kindness whileIwas locked away.ThenI’llleave her with the happy fictionIcreated of a big brother she can be proud of—one who’s well along the road to recovering his life.

I’ll even keep in touch…for a while.Thengradually, the letters will taper off.Aftera while,Kanewill move away, leaving her with a nice warm feeling that his life is back on track and he loves her, even though he had to go.

That’s my plan, anyway.

“I’m playing this by ear,”ItellBranson, who’s still frowning at me skeptically. “Itshouldn’t take long.I’llget in touch with you later—okay?”

“Very well,Sir—as you wish.Thereis a cell phone in the bag of clothes should you wish to call me.Mynumber is programmed into the contacts.”

He gives me a formal nod, fully back inBusinessManagermode.DidImention he was our family’s butler before my father promoted him for his business savvy?Probablynot and you wouldn’t guess it to look at him, but when he starts calling me “Sir” and talking like we’re both fromWayneManor, it becomes abundantly apparent.

“Thanks,Branson.”Iclap him on the shoulder and nod. “Ican’t tell you how muchIappreciate everything you’ve done over the past three years.Ijust need to run this one errand beforeIcome back and settle down.”

“TheBoardwill be relieved when you come back,” he tells me. “They’reextremely happy you’ve been released.”

I have my doubts about that—butIdon’t doubtBranson’sown relief and his happiness to see me.Itshines in his eyes, which have more wrinkles around them than they did whenIwent in.Alsohis hair has turned from salt and pepper to full silver.RunningLowellEnterpriseshad been hard on him these past three years,Ican tell.I’lltake that burden off his shoulders soon.

But first,Ineed to go seeSunny.

3

CONNOR

The trip toSunny’shometown ofSingingRocktakes me about two hours.It’snot far from the prison—close enough for a visit, but those were strictly denied to the inmates ofCellblockC.RogueAlphasare considered too dangerous to have any kind of contact with the outside world.Whichis actually a good thing becauseSunnywould have come for a visit in a heartbeat if she’d been allowed.

The non-visitation policy allowed me to keep up the fictionIbuilt through my letters—the idea of a kind and caring older brother.Ifshe’d ever been able to come and see the realKanein person, that idea would have been blown up in the first five minutes.

I drive through theAppalachianMountains, marveling at all the beauty…and the freedom.It’sbeen a long time sinceI’vebeen behind the wheel but the truck handles surprisingly well andI’mable to enjoy the nature around me.Springis just fading to the first hints of summer, so everything is green and growing or bursting into bloom.

I roll down the window and inhale deeply, taking in the scents of the forest on either side of the road.TheWolfinside me howls in delight to scent the wild lands around me instead of being constantly surrounded by concrete and cinderblock, smelling the stink of fifty other men who could use a shower and the disgusting odor of what passes for food in the chow hall.Ohfuck yeah—this month’sShiftis going to beamazing.

Speaking of the chow hall,Iskipped both breakfast and lunch today—Iwas too excited about my release to be able to eat.Butnow my stomach is growling.Ithink about stopping along the way to get something, butI’malmost toSingingRocknow, soIfigureI’llsave my appetite for some ofSunny’spie—ifIdecide to stay that long.

I hopeIlook all right for this meeting.ThejeansBransonbought me are a little too tight, as is the plain black t-shirt.Butof course, he was buying for the manIwas whenIwent inside andI’mnot that guy anymore.LikeIsaid, prison changes you.

---