Children of Ambition (Children of Vice 2)

“Why?”

“One, I don’t think you have the funds for it.”

He frowned at that. “Whatever the price is, I can pay it, I assure you.”

“Two, it took my father and I years to build Cain. It’s a two people, no, a two genius job. He has carpal tunnel in his hand from coding so much. I’m not going to put him through that.”

“Surely someone else—”

“Three, I only work with people I absolutely trust. Four, Ethan wouldn’t like it or allow it. Five, yes, I care what Ethan allows or not. Six, your family don’t need your own if you can just use this one.”

“Fine, I’ll ask again later.” He snickered, taking a seat in the chair beside me. “Now to the most important reason I came…Donatella.”

“I’m not involved—”

“She’s your best friend, isn’t she?” he asked and I really wanted to know just how much Evelyn had told him. He knew way too much about us all. No wonder he unnerved Dona so much. It was like he’d studied up on each and every one of us and knew just how and when to approach.

He was dangerous.

But to who?

“What about Dona?” I asked, making sure to hit the record button on the side of my computer.

“I want to take her on a date.”

“Excuse me?” Well, I wasn’t expecting that. He was in a room where I could literally pull up information on anyone he wanted, and he wa

nted to ask me about dating Dona?

“What is her dream date?” he asked seriously but gently, those eyes of his eyes warm and kind and caring. It was so hard for me to merge the two sides of him I’d been witness to: the cold-blooded murderer and the guy simply asking about a girl he wanted take out.

“Her dream date?”

He nodded. “I’m sure she doesn’t talk about that stuff now, but you’ve know her your whole life. You must remember her wanting to do one thing if she hadn’t been born a Callahan. Something she wanted to do but couldn’t.”

“I’ll answer your question, if you answer mine,” I replied.

“Ask anything but who I am and what I’m doing.” He nodded and I wanted to kick him over the head. Those were the two most important questions yet he was deflecting from both of them; who could he be that was so bad, even with this family, that everything about him was shrouded in secrecy? Not only that… Why were our parents helping him so much?

“Helen?”

“Cain, what is Gabriel’s cell phone number?”

“Only known number…737-8141.”

Taking out my phone, I texted him what he needed to know.

“Is there a reason you didn’t just ask me?” Gabriel leered, taking out his phone but not reading the message.

“Yes,” I said, leaning back and crossing my legs. “You enjoy fucking with us like this. But the difference between me and everyone else I don’t like getting involved in those games. I trust the people who helped you get in here well enough to know that whatever we get out of you down the track must be worth the provocation right now. You and I will revisit this conversation when all of our cards are on the table.”

He rose to his feet, amused. “If only everyone else was like you, we could get to the good part of this story so much quicker.”

“Of course, they can’t be like me; I’m the black sheep of the family.” I winked at him.

He laughed and nodded. “Thank you, Helen. I owe you one. When my cards are on the table, I’ll pay my due.”

I didn’t say anything else as I watched him walk to the only part of the wall not pixelated, pressing his hand on the door which opened to let him out.