Rebirth: Flirting with a Dangerous Billionaire

Your Unmentionables

I first noticed the small hole in the chair's fabric last week. It seemed more prominent now. "Sloane?" I looked up into the eyes of my mam. "Yeah?" I said, trying to focus, but the void pulled my attention. "If you're too angry to help your sister move on, we will have to restrict your visits."

"We can't just let them get away with this", I replied, taking one last look. It was definitely bigger now. "How many more people do you think will get hurt?" There was short silence whilst she stared at the road before her. "It's not your decision to make." It was then I realized I had been subconsciously picking at the fabric. I placed my hands where I could see them. "Don't take me off the list. I can do better."

"Have you considered moving schools? Being around them, I think it would be better if we all moved on."

"No, I worked hard to get the captain position. I don't want to start over. It's not that bad." A blatant lie, but it didn't matter. The car pulled into the drive, and our conversation promptly ended. "I'll be home late, so eat without me." After my dad died, my mam took over the lucrative security business. I lingered long enough to watch her cat disappear around the corner. Despite our recent wealth, we hadn't abandoned the family values we held when we had nothing. We often ate together even if someone else was now cooking, but recent events had ended that.

We are what people refer to as new money, my father a self-made man. He had begun as a pioneer in internet security, and Cerberus was a household name before long. Phones, schools, people, browsers. If something needed protection, Cerberus had the technology to keep it safe. His big break came with the ministry of defence contract, which got him killed. My mother has since taken the reigns, and with my sister in a psychiatric hospital, I was getting pretty lonely.

Beside the door was a portly man, his countenance stern. I nodded to him in greeting as I approached. "You don't need to get the door for me, Abbot."

"It is one of my duties, young master", He replied curtly. Atticus Abbot was our butler and took his profession seriously. Still, if you looked closely, you could see his eyes smiling. When we bought the manor, we never intended to have staff. Still, to maintain a building this size, they became necessary. I found it uncomfortable, but my mam assured me it provided jobs for those in the local area. The staff themselves seem happy here. As employers go, we aren't very demanding. Abbot attempted to unburden me further by taking my gym bag. I held onto it, and he waved over a female subordinate who hovered nervously beside me, her cheeks beginning to flush. "Young master, madam has asked us to pay particular attention to your gym wear before it has the chance, as she put it, to fester on your bedroom floor." He gestured at the lady beside me, who was not too much older than myself. "I can assure you Giselle can be trusted, even with your...unmentionables." I could feel the heat emanating from Giselle as she turned crimson. It was infectious, and my cheeks began to flush in response.

Without making any eye contact with each other, I handed her the bag and stalked off to my room. I wasn't very good at dealing with women. I'm tall in stature and quiet. Before the hospital, my sister told me I seemed intimidating. On top of that, I'm awkward. I've had plenty of people admire me for my looks, but they distance themselves when they get to know me, and it has only gotten worse.

I'm bitter, and thoughts of revenge are slowly devouring any happiness I had left after my father's death. I get it. Girls don't like that.

I understand where my mam is coming from. It would be nice to let go and move on. But, even my sister wants to forget everything. Their ruthless attack savaged her innocent soul, and even if it kills me to be around them, I can't accept that they could get away with it. I can't let it go, so I wait for an opportunity, an inkling of weakness, and now I have options.