Page 20 of The Unseen

“Nothing . . . I was just playing,” I lie.

She looks away, almost disappointed. The ape in my chest is spinning in circles and pounding with triumph.Oh, she fucking likes me. I may well have played my hand, Olivia Daniels, but you’ve played yours, too.

Now, I just need to play the game better than her.

“So.” I clear my throat. “Your fitness journey. How did that come about?”

“I started while I was in community college. I ransessions for extra cash. I really enjoyed it, so I thought I’d incorporate it into my master plan.”

“Ah, then we’ll do what we do every night, Pinky...try to take over the world,” I quote in a high-pitched voice.

“Oh my god, you watchedPinky and The Brain?”

“Olivia.” I lean forward. “I was obsessed withPinky and The Brain.”

She giggles, her eyes crinkling in the corners as she relaxes back into her chair.

“Well, yes. Sort of, I guess. I wanted to build something that was mine. I was taking care of Danny while he started high school, so I needed work to be flexible. I also wanted to get my degree in business, so I had to get creative.”

I know the answer already, but it would seem odd if I didn’t ask. “So...your parents?”

“Car accident.” She summarizes—not explicitly telling me they’re dead, but then I suppose she doesn’t need to.

I nod. “Sorry to hear that.”

She shrugs, moving on from the topic swiftly. “What about you? How did you get into whatever it is you're into?”

“I thought you knew what I was into?” I smirk, feeling the mood shift.

“Help me understand you and what my brother has gotten into.” Her voice softens.

A difficult question to answer. Two years ago, I’d had somewhat of an epiphany. I don’t much believe in fate, or destiny, but I’d been born into the life I’d been born into. My role as second son had another meaning besides being the younger brother. I was groomed to do the shit jobs, the dirty jobs, while August kept his nose clean to eventually be the face of our father’s business.

As my world darkened, August was living in the light. The shadows comforted me, accepted me covered in blood, sweat, piss, and shit, none my own, not that that would be better. My reputation grew each year until everyone feared me. My father was so proud, proud of the monster I hadbecome. My brother feared my ambition would grow beyond my station. Beyond the tasks our father had assigned me.

Of course, I indulged in the fantasy of living a normal life, having someone to come home to at night, take long walks with, and live somewhat of a simpler life. I’d dreamed that night of a life that was so ordinary, so unbelievably mundane. I could taste the percolator coffee first thing on a Saturday morning; I could smell the clean linen bed sheets wrapped around me and the most beautiful woman in the world—long blonde hair, golden-tanned skin, and a smile that filled her whole face. And she looked at me like that, like I made her that happy.

After experiencing the worst day of my life, something only Dr. Alfie knows about, I’d gotten black out drunk for a week or two before stepping aside from The Organization completely. It was the reminder of that day that led me to Dr. Alfie. And then, bumping into one of my father’s associates, for the first time in my life, I panicked. I ran into a random juice bar, and that was when I saw Olivia. Sure, I hadn’t imagined her exactly, but she was so strikingly similar. My fantasy girl had come to life, and she was more than what I had imagined. She was kind, hardworking, and ambitious. She was someone I could look up to, build a life for, andchangemy life for.

So I’d left my father’s business. I’d struck out on my own and created The Unseen. And although the general opinion is that The Unseen is a branch of my father’s business, it couldn’t be further from the truth. My father allows the rumor mill to assume, but he knows nothing about my operation. If word got out about its true existence, that his son had left the business, his reputation would be destroyed.

I wasn’t lying when I said that no one left this business alive. But I may just be the exception.

To add insult to injury, I had taken a few of the boys with me when I left. Luca, of course, a few others that we’d gone through the ranks with, and Danny—the tech genius that’s setting us up to be legit.

The option wasn’t there for them to quit. There were no resignation letters and fond farewells in this business. But I wanted to move away from senseless violence. I have a ledger to balance out. And right now, I’m still in massive fucking debt. Besides, their staying with me keeps them safe. I’m not forcing them to stay, and they know the risk if they leave: they’re on their own. And that means they’d be fair game to my father. At least continuing to work for me means they’re protected.

Olivia deserves someone better than a man with so much blood on his hands.

I shrug. “It’s a family business. I didn’t have much choice.”

“You have a choice now, though.”

I smile. “Yeah, Killer, but I don’t make the rules.”

“What’s the point in being the boss if you can’t make the rules?” She wiggles her eyebrows, attempting a tactic of playful teasing despite the undertone of desperation seeping into her voice.

“I’m not the boss. My father is.”

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