Cardinal Tower (Trinity Central Book #1)

Chapter 11

I slept in that cold room, alone, and dreading what would happen once I woke up. They gave me my clothes back and I've been clutching my jacket for the past twelve or so hours. My dirty ripped jeans and ragged t-shirt cling to my skin leaving my bare feet and arms exposed to the cold cell air. My hand brushes by my boots standing by the bed. Something the Trinity guards must have missed was the small dagger hidden inside, a mistake they might regret in the future.

The light bulb hanging over my cot blinked twice providing a contrast of light from the morning news playing on the tv.

"...from the recent development on Monica Blaire's mysterious murder. The person responsible is believed to be Castelle Addison Berkeley, a newly hired researcher at Stafford Corporations' sister branch. The beloved news anchor's untimely passing is speculated to have been the result of a dispute between the two young women following a Stafford inspection. The mentally unstable Castelle lured Ms. Blaire to a nearby alleyway where she was brutally murdered, and Castelle was captured. She is said to have recently been admitted to a mental institution to further assess her condition. In other news..." before the reporter could continue, the tv switched off and the remote was placed back on the side of the screen.

"No need to listen to that Cas," Silas says, "It's all the press and tabloids know how to do. Anything to get a good story, right?" His blonde cowlick falls over his face and he gives me a boyish grin, though his motions tells me he's awfully wary of my intentions. "Hello again."

I almost forgot that we saw each other the other day in the alley when he found me in a bit of a bad spot, "Yeah, hi."

"And I know I kinda saved you last time we saw each other. Again, you're welcome." He leans against the wall, letting his medals clink with every step. He maintains the expression of a trained officer, but his voice remains soft even though he has every reason to despise me right now.

"Why did you do that by the way?" I leaned back on my hands, searching him for answers.

"No other reason than that it was my job."

"You're awfully friendly to someone who just killed your girlfriend," I turned away, guilt-ridden. An image of Monica flashes in my mind and I feel the hatred all over again. I'm not sure whether it's hatred for her or myself at this point.

"It was a business arrangement. She never cared for me and I never cared for her. She threatened Stafford, and my father gave me no choice." He looks down for a second before regaining his composure. I hear him moving towards me, and I feel a hand under my chin, tilting it up to face him. "I just wonder why you did it? You've always seemed so modest." He stares into my eyes and I take in the pools of green while his scowl softens.

"Clearly. You know what she's like." I retort, searching his eyes, there's something behind them that I can't quite trust.

"Better than anyone," he laughs. It seems Silas and I share similar sentiments about the late Blaire child, but it's not one I want us to share. Just hate me, I can deal with hate. I'm sick of everyone treating me as though I'm suddenly part of a plan that I'm not aware of. Then again, I probably am.

I back away so that his hand hangs alone in the air. "So what are you doing here?" I question. He clears his throat and backs away. The clicking of his medals almost distracts me from his sudden change in tone.

"Well, test subject 079, I have been one of the Trinity guards assigned to maintain you, not sure why they asked for two Alpha officers to safeguard a Beta prisoner but, I'm not complaining."

"You're filthy rich," I remind him, "tell me again why you're playing cop?"

"Simple, I don't really like my family," he explains, and smiles that same charm filled smile that I remembered from years ago. "I'd like to be as far away from that Rex lifestyle as I possibly can"