Chapter Sixteen Asher #2
‘Told me what?’ I ask. ‘And there’s never a right time to admit you sold me out.’
‘That’s not what this is,’ he says quickly. ‘I didn’t sell you out.’
‘Then explain,’ I snap. ‘Because from where I’m standing, it looks a hell of a lot like it.’
Andreas drags a hand down his face and groans. ‘I’ve been working with the NCA.’
I blink at him, sure I’ve misheard. ‘You’ve been what?’
‘The NCA,’ he repeats, like I don’t know what the National Crime Agency is. ‘For the last eighteen months or so, we’ve been building a case.’ He swallows then glances nervously around the room like he’s half expecting the room to be wired. ‘Against him.’
‘That’s not funny.’
‘I’m not joking.’ He slumps in his seat and suddenly looks ten years older. ‘He’s not a good man, our father.’
Despite everything, I let out a snort. That’s one thing I don’t need to be told.
‘Bribery, tax evasion, money laundering, offshore accounts that don’t match up with any legitimate revenue streams,’ Andreas continues.
‘There’s so much you don’t know about because I’ve purposefully made sure you’ve been kept in the dark.
Both you and Teddy. I’ve protected you so you can claim plausible deniability when this all inevitably blows up. ’
It doesn’t surprise me in the least to hear all of this, but it also doesn’t make me feel any better. ‘So what?’ I ask dryly. ‘You’re the big hero, and I just have to ignore everything I heard?’
‘I’m not saying I’m a hero,’ Andreas says. ‘I’m just saying there’s more here at play than you think. I need him to keep trusting me. I need him to think that I’m loyal to him and that I’m on his side.’
‘And what about me?’ I demand. ‘Where do I fit into this master plan? Where does Imani fit in with all of this?’
Andreas sighs again. ‘If the deal with Davies goes through – or, at least, our father thinks it’s about to go through – then we think we can get him on a few of the lesser charges. Not enough to completely bring him down, but enough to get the ball rolling.’
Everything starts to slot into place.
‘So,’ I say slowly, ‘let me get this straight. You tried to encourage me to get married so you could send our father to jail?’
Andreas winces now I’ve put it so plainly to him, like he can finally see how insane this whole thing is, even if he isn’t ready to admit it. ‘Don’t put it like that. It’s more complicated than that.’
‘Is it?’
‘Yes,’ Andreas says firmly, like he’s trying to convince himself instead of me. ‘I know I’m asking a lot from you, but—’
‘You didn’t ask me though, did you? You didn’t bring me in and tell me your plan.’
‘I couldn’t,’ he insists, sounding more desperate than I’ve ever heard him. ‘I told you. You needed to have plausible deniability for when this all comes out.’
A small part of me sees and understands the logic in his argument, but the righteous fury I’m feeling right now is winning and I can’t bring myself to give him the benefit of the doubt. I let out a dry laugh. ‘You know something? You’re just like him.’
Andreas reels back like he’s been slapped. ‘I am nothing like him.’
‘You are,’ I say. ‘You can tell yourself that it’s all for the greater good and that you’ve been protecting me this whole time, but when it comes down to it, you’d happily sacrifice me if it gets you want you want. You used me, just like he does.’
I push away from my desk and stalk past him. He doesn’t try to stop me. Out of the corner of my eye, as I pass him by, I watch as he slumps in his seat and drops his head into his hands.
The look on my face must be thunderous as I storm through the office because nobody bothers me on my way out. I spot Teddy in my periphery just as I reach the double doors, but even he seems to sense that now is most definitely not the time.
My car is waiting outside and I climb into it, let my head loll back against the leather headrest, and close my eyes. I’m not sure how long I sit there disassociating but my phone’s aggressive vibration in my pocket suddenly pulls me back to reality.
I glare at it as I pull it out, expecting it to be Andreas in another attempt at explaining himself and apologising, but then I see Imani’s name appear on the screen and I suddenly forget how furious I am with my brother and the only thing I can think about is her.
As soon as the call connects, I’m met with the sight of those warm, dark eyes locking onto mine from the other side of the screen, and it sends a surge of warm happiness right through me.
‘Hey,’ she says. There’s a softness to her tone that immediately melts away all the tension, anger and irritation. At least, it feels like it does to me. Judging from the way her brows pucker into a frown, I’m not sure I’m entirely successful. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing,’ I say as if on autopilot, and then immediately wince because I can hear the strain in my voice. I clear my throat and try again. ‘I’m fine. Everything is fine.’
‘Asher.’ She says my name so plainly, but there’s a heaviness in it that unravels me.
I let out a deep sigh that seems to come from the very depths of my soul.
‘That’s what I thought,’ Imani hums. ‘Where are you now?’
‘On my way home.’
She thinks for a second and then gives a little nod of her head. ‘Do you want to meet up?’
There’s nothing I’d like more than that, but I shake my head. ‘No, don’t worry about—’
‘Asher.’ The way she says my name cuts clean through me. It’s ridiculous, really, how she’s able to do this. She doesn’t raise her voice, but the way she says my name makes it impossible to keep trying to pretend.
I exhale slowly. ‘I’ve had A Day.’
‘I can see that.’
The way she looks at me, it feels like she’s reaching into my chest and pressing her palm flat against my heart. Like she knows exactly where I’m hurting right now and she can hear the thoughts I haven’t even realised I’m thinking yet.
‘Okay,’ I say finally. ‘Yeah, I want to see you.’
The smile that curves her mouth is small but just the sight of it, even through a screen, has one tugging at my lips too.
‘Good,’ she says. ‘There’s a restaurant about fifteen minutes from your place that I like. I’ll send you a pin. Meet you in twenty minutes?’
My grin widens. ‘That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.’