Page 88 of Beautifully Broken Control

So, I spilled it all. The list of people I’d narrowed things down to, my plan to cross him and Rachel off my list first so they could help ferret out the culprit, Rachel’s nasty explosion at Kennedy. I told him everything.

Jake was again silent, and it lasted longer this time. “So, you gave me a program that sends you an alert as soon as it’s uploaded to a new computer?”

“I did.” The program has to run for at least twenty-four hours, but he didn’t need to know the ins and outs, just that I’d tested him. And for that, he deserved an apology. “I’m sorry, Jake. I needed to know I could trust my people at the top. But I’m sure you’re pissed as hell right now. And that’s fair. If you don’t want to work for me anymore, I’ll understand, but I hope we can get past this.”

There was more silence, then the shuffling of papers and the sounds of Jake rising from his chair, pacing maybe? “I get why you did what you did, it just sucks to be on the other end of it. I need a couple of days to wrap my head around this.”

“Take all the time you need.” It was the least I could give him.

“Thanks.”

Jake hung up before I could say goodbye. I had a feeling I’d be looking for a new second in command before long. Jake and I had never been friends exactly. But I’d destroyed the little bit of trust between us, and that was almost impossible to rebuild. Maybe it would be better to part ways, start fresh with someone new. I’d give Jake a more than generous severance package. He’d earned it.

The sounds of a mixer whirring wafted in from the kitchen. I winced. Kennedy was cooking. She’d mastered scrambled eggs and a few other things, but she’d never ventured out on her own, making something from scratch. Hopefully, she wouldn’t start a fire. Or cut herself. The possibilities for harm were endless, and my chest began to constrict, the panic setting in.

I took a slow, deep breath, in through my nose, and out through my mouth. She would be okay. I was right here if anything happened. She needed her freedom, even in something as simple as cooking, and I had to give it to her. I never wanted to clip her wings, I wanted to help her fly.

I forced myself to relax against the pillows. I could focus on work. I’d ignored my email inbox for far too long, getting sucked into finishing the new Halo program and being distracted by all things Kennedy. And it wasn’t a distraction that I thought would fade with time. Kenz was endlessly fascinating. Hell, I’d been transfixed just watching her get dressed. I’d never tire of just watching her move through space, through life.

I shook my head. She was distracting me even when she wasn’t here. I zeroed in on my laptop screen. “Work. Emails. Kennedy later.” I lost myself in proposals and inquiries, sending a message to HR that I’d need a new assistant. I politely suggested a male this time.

Time flew by in a blur of reading and typing as I remembered why this company was so important to me and got excited again about what I could make it into.

“Cain.” Kennedy’s voice calling from the kitchen jolted me from my thoughts.

“You ready for me?” I called back.

“Yup, come on out.”

I closed my laptop and set it on the bed. Rising, I threw on a pair of sweats and a tee. As I opened the door of my bedroom and stepped into the hall, the scent of something sweet—and distinctly not burned—filled my senses. I grinned wide as I headed for the kitchen. My girl had done it. She needed this win.

Kennedy beamed as I walked into the kitchen. She threw her arms wide. “Ta-da!”

I looked down at the creation in front of her and froze. It was one of those rainbow chip cakes. The ones with the multi-colored sprinkles in the frosting and in the cake itself. Just the sight of it, sent me hurtling back in time.

“Cain?” Kiara looked up from where she was coloring.

“Whatcha need, princess?” I set down my pencil next to my math book.

She rolled her lips together the way she always did when she was nervous. “Do you think maybe this year I could have a cake?”

My chest tightened the way it always did when it was so damn obvious that Kiara didn’t have the same life as other little girls. Then heat seemed to spread through me. Our good-for-nothing mother sure as hell wasn’t going to get her a cake. It was four o’clock, and she was already at the bar, drinking away the little money we had. Good thing I lifted cash from her purse whenever I could. If I didn’t, Kiara and I would probably starve.

I looked at Kiara’s hopeful face. Turning six was supposed to be fun. I forced a smile. “I think I can figure something out.” I’d make sure I did, even if I had to beg one of the neighbors to help me.

She smiled huge. “Maybe I can get one of them rainbow cakes!”

My brow wrinkled. “A rainbow cake?” Shit, I didn’t even know what that was.

Kiara’s head bobbed up and down. “Yeah! You know the ones that have all the sprinkles in the frosting and in the cake, and they’re all different colors?”

The tension in me eased a little. That was a cake from a box. I could handle a cake from a mix. I would make it every year for her if it put that kind of smile on her face.

“Cain?”

Kennedy’s voice shook me from the memories. I had made the rainbow cake for Kiara that year. For her sixth birthday, and every birthday after until I’d left for college. Until I’d left her alone. Abandoned her to a woman I knew wasn’t any kind of mother.

“I can’t.” My voice was hoarse, even to my own ears.

---