Page 41 of Breaking Point
He rested his arms on his knees.“I know this will be difficult for you to believe, but I’m on your side, Luciana.”
Her laugh was touched with hysteria.She clamped her hand over her mouth and waited for the reaction to pass.“You’re right, I don’t believe you,” she said, when she could speak once more, instead of screaming.“He did not do this, Brice.He didn’t.He couldn’t have.I raised him.Iknow.He never cheated or lied when he was a child.He couldn’t understand why doing either was worth it.He wanted to win, to be first, to be the best because hewasthe best, not because he’d cheated his way to the top.He’s never cared about money, either.Endangering other people…it’s just not his personality.”
She made herself stop, because the words that wanted to form, that she badly wanted to speak, were those of a beggar.She wanted to plead with Brice for Devar’s life.For leniency.He was doing this to Devar.And it just wasn’t fair.“This isn’t justice, Brice.This is a travesty.”
He flinched.“I’m doing everything I can to minimize it.Feel free to disbelieve that, too, but it is true.”
“You’re not doing enough,” she whispered.
“There are a lot of people who think he did it, Luciana.You have no delusions about Devar’s personality.You’ve said it yourself.He’s impatient with people who can’t keep up with his speed of thought and ideas.He belittles them.”
Luciana shook her head.“Not lately.He’s changed, Brice.Caelen has…they were talking about a child!They were going to take that Lakewood man’s course, and change their lives so the algorithms would favor them, the way Lakewood figured out!”
“He’s a con man.”Brice’s tone was flat.“He doesn’t know any more about the accouchement algorithms than you do.”
She flinched.“Devar has changed.And even if he was hard to take, before, that doesn’t make him a killer.”
“Yet it has made him enemies, over the years.And now those enemies are more than willing to believe he caused the tragedy.They’re happy to see the mutiny charges upheld.”
“Are you?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Brice said tiredly.
“You’re entitled to your opinion.”Her throat ached.
“You won’t believe me, anyway,” Brice replied.
She closed her eyes.She couldn’t bear to look at him.She ached to move closer, to stroke away the furrow between his brows.To kiss the downturned corner of his mouth.
She made herself remember in cold detail that Brice had filed the charges against Devar.She had seen the document on the Forum.She recognized his chop and seal.Hehad done this.
The quiet thud of boots announced the arrival of the guards.Two of them moved into the corridor and up to where they were sitting, ten paces away from the doors of the Captain’s suite.
Luciana got tiredly to her feet.“Goodbye, Brice,” she said.
He turned his head away.
Her heart breaking, she nodded at the guards and followed them back down the corridor.
Chapter Sixteen
LUCIANA RARELY DRANK MORE THANthe occasional glass of champagne.After telling Caelen about the abortive meeting on the Bridge, though, and watching the girl’s hopes fade and despair set in, Luciana printed out a bottle of port.
She listened to Caelen sob on the couch, and try to muffle the sound, and Luciana would top up the glass again.
Through the window, she watched the sunlights start to fade toward night.It was late summer, and late in the day.
She didn’t care.
Caelen was breathing softly on the couch.She had fallen asleep.
Luciana looked out the window once more.It was fully dark now, and she could see no details beyond the window.Only her reflection in it.A tired, middle-aged woman looked back.In the reflection, her hair looked white, not blonde.
Not that she had any choice at all, according to Brice, but maybe losing the stalls could somehow be a good thing?The question whispered through her sodden mind.
It was swiftly followed by near-panic.What would she do without the business?
The way he’d put his head back against the wall that afternoon came zinging back into her mind.The column of his neck, the warm skin there….
