Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ORION
I hopped into the shower as soon as I got home, wanting to wash off the irritation from the day. I increase the water pressure from the wall, letting the force beat the muscles on my back. The emotions building inside me needed to be washed away too.
There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to another woman.
Maybe the attraction to Elena was a phase that would soon pass.
But so far, the attraction seemed to have increased compared to when I first set eyes on her. Today proved that she had this tug on me. I didn’t like it.
At first, I was angry at her for making me lose control. Then I was angry at her for something she wasn’t responsible for.
Elena wasn’t responsible for Kate’s suicide. Elena had made a casual statement about suicide and I’d exploded.
That loss of control terrified me. I’d always been able to rein in my emotions, but ever since my encounter with Elena, something in me switched off.
Or rather, something in me had switched on. Something fiery, untamed, and unfamiliar.
I felt like a muddy river with so much crap in it I couldn’t tell what I was stepping on. Was it a fish, a rock, a log, or just some damn trash?
I needed clarity, and there was only one thing that could help me achieve that. Transform into The Roc, the master thief who could take anything he wanted without a trace.
The act of theft liberated me. It wasn’t about stealing something that wasn’t mine. The high-octane thrill numbed my anxiety. It was like a rewiring of the synapses in my brain, narrowing my focus to one thing rather than a massive pool of many things.
It was the only cure that helped me survive after my mother’s death. I became a better thief because I stole. Life was fucking ironic in that way. The big guy up there sitting on the heavenly throne was probably chilling with his angels and laughing at me.
Look at that fool. He thinks stealing is a sacred gesture that would garner him blessings.
If people knew my weakness, I could only imagine the kinds of blackmail I’d receive. But we all made choices that suited our lives. No one could tell me how to live if they weren’t in my shoes. When I stole a precious item, the adrenaline high made me forget myself, dropping me into another world where I became a different person.
You’ve got issues.
I didn’t argue with my other self—it was right. What was I supposed to do when the anxiety medication didn’t help? I couldn’t afford a panic attack right now. I had too much at stake and couldn’t afford any errors.
As I shampooed my hair, I thought of ways to torture my mentor’s killer. Or killers. The Trogyn needed to be eradicated, and my empire needed my attention and care as well. I had a dependable management team, but it was still my empire to oversee. My strict upbringing had its pros and cons. I could juggle many projects at once, but at the cost of my mental health.
Closing my eyes, I tilted my face up to the showerhead, feeling the water pressure beat down on my face. Elena’s face popped into my vision again, but I didn’t push her away. Instead, I focused on her pretty face while the water soothed me.
She was right. I had tostraighten myself out before Monday to ensure she got a professional working environment.
After toweling off, my body still thrummed from tension. If I wanted a good night’s sleep, I needed to be The Roc tonight. I dressed in dark pants and a black T-shirt. Then I browsed the people on my shit list. I didn’t want to stray far tonight. Who was near me?
The list ranged from wealthy individuals to corrupt politicians with skeletons in their closets. We all had them, but some were worse than others. These people valued their money and materialistic belongings more than anything else, and the best way to punish them was to take what mattered most to them.
Over the years I’d stolen from murderers, child molesters, and corrupt business executives who committed heinous crimes. The world was a corrupt place, and it made me feel better to know I had a part in righting a wrong.
I skated on the slim line between vigilante and villain. But that was how I got shit done.
Sometimes I sold the goods to the black market and donated the money to a good cause anonymously. Other times I kept the artifact if it interested me.
I went into my garage and pulled out my duffle of supplies when Jasper called me.
“Why are you calling me again? I already told you I’m not selling the island.” Emotions were already high, and I wasn’t in the mood to entertain him.
“C’mon, why not? What are you doing on that island anyway? My boat sailed past it. Why do you need security around a construction site?”
“Because of people like you. I don’t want my cousin getting injured because he thinks he’s invincible.”
He snorted. “You building some astronomy shit?”
“Watch your mouth,” I said calmly. “Remember what happened the last time you insulted my mother?” The asshole was testing my patience or simply stupid.
“Man, you’re too serious. I didn’t mean it that way.”
Oh, you did, Jasper. I know you.
“I’m glad we’re clear about that. Astronomy is too complex for simple minds like yours. It’s okay that you don’t understand it. Don’t insult it. It could be the very thing that stops you from achieving your dreams.” I gathered patience. “Just a tip from one businessman to another—don’t disrespect another man’s interest. Especially a man who has what you want.”
I could imagine the annoyance on his face. He wasn’t used to people talking down to him. I wasn’t one of his fake friends who buttered him up just so they could use him.
Jasper didn’t care about protecting the Reimann legacy. But I did. I didn’t want a family squabble to be in the next celebrity gossip magazine. Jasper had paid off many people to keep his shit from getting to the press. But I knew every time he got arrested from bar fights, drove under the influence, got caught doing drugs, or acted inappropriately with women in public. The list was too long and my temple throbbed.
If I continued talking to him, I might not perform what I had to do today.
“Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know.”
“Nothing’s gonna change,” I said firmly.
“Why are you so stubborn?” he asked.
Why are you such an idiot?
“In business, you need to learn when to let things go. It’s not beneficial to cling to an unsuccessful venture. There’s nothing that’s going to make me sell Quintile Island.”
The more he couldn’t have it, the more he wanted it. This was his MO.
“There’s an island for sale near Bora Bora. I’m going to put in a bid.”
After a pause, he said, “I already did.”
I smiled at the obvious lie. This information wouldn’t be public for two more weeks. But he could purchase that island for all I cared. It was well past time for him to focus on something else.
“Okay. Good luck.”
My mom had purchased this island and left it to me when she passed. Nothing in this world would make me sell it.
“Haven’t you heard that persistence pays off? I’m going to buy my own island and build an amazing tourist attraction.”
“Persistence in the right direction pays off. But in the wrong direction, it would lead you off the cliff or into a dead end.”
He laughed. “Man, you’re morbid. You need to go out and have fun. Want me to introduce you to some ladies? You like them big or small?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“Babe! Party’s waiting for you!” a woman shouted from his end.
“See you soon, cuz. Babes are waiting for?—”
Hanging up, I turned my attention back to the mission for this evening. Anxiety still dogged my muscles, and I needed a thrill to reset my mind and body.
I opened my duffle bag and chose a disguise.