APEX

Ch. 24: Fantasy of the Brothers

Calla

After the stunt he'd just pulled, it was official: Aamon won the award for worst Rawlings brother. Rhys's back and forth mischief and Liam's hard line anti-human inclinations had put them in the running, but Aamon trying to scapegoat me into the role of Zara's murderer was beyond the pale.

I had to wonder...was Aamon doing this because he was motivated to remove suspicion from himself? He'd flirted with this girl—that much he had admitted to. But maybe it had been more than that. Maybe they'd even slept together, prompting Zara to want a real relationship with him. Had she threatened to tell Gerald? Had he, in turn, killed her to keep her quiet? Was he planning on throwing Dev off his track by blaming me?

Man, I had so many questions. Nothing was off the table, and with Rhys's innocence all but assured, Aamon was looking like a prime suspect. I would have to tell Dev about my encounter with Aamon when he and Detective Anderson arrived. Until they did, it was best to stay in my quarters, lay low, and hope Aamon didn't turn around and blab to one of his big-mouthed cousins about his bullshit suspicions.

I could go from potential savior of Apex's reputation to accused murderer in as much time as it would take to play a game of telephone, gossip spread from Aamon's lips to Gerald's ear. And if that happened, despite my innocence, I'd be under the harsh light of interrogation. They'd discover everything, including and especially my relationship with Vicki and my desire to see whichever Apex werewolf was responsible for her disappearance pay in blood.

I ate the rest of my dinner, my head spinning as I weighed how likely it was for Aamon to ruin my life. He held an odd and inappropriate obsession with me. I hadn't thought it possible as when we first met, he'd seemed indifferent to me at best. But now it seemed that his desire to draw me into his web of Aamonatics was growing by the day. Perhaps my disinterest in him made me seem like a conquest. I sneered at the thought. So gross. The man, as outwardly attractive as he may be, was inwardly repulsive. I almost wished he knew about me and his brother. If he did, he'd be forced to keep his distance from me, or suffer the wrath of the Apex Alpha.

Well...that bit would be true if Rhys actually cared about me or thought of me as more than just a fun time—a throw away toy that had outlived its potential for enjoyment after just one use.

Damn, maybe I should move Rhys up a notch in the worst Rawlings brother competition.

Or...hear me out now, Calla, what if Rhys did care enough about you to defend you from Aamon's ill behavior?

It might be a fantasy to pretend this was a possibility, but it was a fantasy I was willing to indulge in as I sat here alone and uncertain about what new hell the next few hours might unleash.

Placing my empty plate on the bed stand, I stretched out on top of my duvet imagining what would happen if Rhys had overheard what Aamon had accused me of.

My fantasy started up at the moment in time in which I'd kicked Aamon out of my cabin. He'd left without a fight, but not so in this new version of events. Instead, he grabbed my arm as I told him to get out. Then, emerging from the shadows, Rhys would snarl as he pulled his brother away from me, tossing him to the ground.

"Stay away from her, Aamon!" His voice in my head sounded so forceful, it sent a shiver down my spine. "Brother or not, if you touch her again, I'll kill you."

"You don't understand." Aamon's words would come in gasps as his brother's foot pressed against his chest. "She killed Zara!"

"I heard you accuse her of that," Rhys said. "You're a fool to think Calla would kill an innocent woman."

"She was jealous!" Aamon insisted. "She wanted me, and she thought Zara stood in her way!"

Rhys and I would both share a laugh at this, our eyes catching in a playful exchange as Aamon looked up at us in confusion.