Page 42 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I
His mouth tightens, and his eyes narrow. I’m sure he can feel it—my anger, my disappointment, and my not wanting to go along with the program even though we both know I will.
“When, Max?” I snap.
“College. Junior year.”
My sinuses swell as I beat back the sting of disloyalty. I only told one person—Treasure. Did she betray me?
“Who told you?” I demand.
“I keep surveillance on the Valentines. I saw you.”
My mouth falls open. I seriously didn’t expect that answer. And I don’t know what to say to that. Despite everything I’ve heard thus far, I’m angry and offended for Hercules and his family.
“Why the hell would you do that?”
His expression is emotionless. “You know why.”
“Are you really that obsessed with this?”
“It's not about obsession, Paisley. It's about right and wrong.”
“You know we don't need that technology. The app is perfect the way it is. And we don't even know if the accelerated component will work. And the notion of continuing to pursue the upgrades is kind of deranged, like a mad-scientist kind of deranged.”
He’s about to say something but then closes his mouth.
“I’m tired, Max,” I say, going in for the kill. “I really want this all to be over already. I miss my friends. I miss the real world.”
I still get nothing from that look on his face. And I want to see some empathy or sympathy.
He clenches his lips. “You don’t think I’ve sacrificed for this too?”
I bite down on my back teeth to keep myself from exploding on him. What hashesacrificed? Everybody knows Max Grove. Two years ago, he was named the sexiest CEO alive.
“What have you sacrificed?” I snarl.
“Kiera.”
That one name seems to turn my blood into cement. She’s the only girlfriend of his I ever met. Kiera is an artist with blonde dreadlocks and she always wears paint stained clothes. She was his binary in every way imaginable. I’m still surprised they were ever a couple.
Max and I continue staring at each other. I know how much he loved her. She was smart and ambitious, but she also loved to enjoy life. My brother works twenty-four, seven. He’s obsessed with completing TRANSPORT. I also think he’s still grieving Grandfather in ways he’s not aware of.
Finally, he clears his throat. “I already have your identity ready to go. You’ll become Lark Davenport, and she needs to pass all VTI’s security and reference checks. Set up an AI cloud for yourself. All queries will be run through your cloud for replies.”
I shake my head continuously. With my parents freeing themselves of this house, I thought I’d feel less like a prisoner. But I don’t. Essentially, I can't say no, and we both know it. We've been waiting for this, planning for this. And here it is, plopped in our laps. I can't be free, not yet. I hate it, but I’ll do it. Thinking about double-crossing Hercules in any capacity makes me sick to my stomach, though.
“What first?” I ask.
Part Two
Six Years Later
Chapter Seventeen
Eight Days Before Start Date
Paisley Grove
It still feels awkward knowing that Max hasn’t stopped keeping tabs on all of the Valentines, including Hercules. I wonder what he knows about Hercules. How has Hercules changed through the years? I can easily find where Max stores the data he collects on the Valentines and ease my curiosity, but I won’t. I don’t agree with him spying on Hercules. Sometimes, the depths Max will descend to in order to win troubles me.
