A LITTLE CRACK
1051 Words
0017
LUCIEN
I sat in my usual chair, staring at the monitors, studying the feeds carefully.
I paused at the hallway spot as I saw August in his room, Levi standing by his door, motionless for too long, listening to his cries, pleas and subtle screams.
His breathing was audible on the mic. It made my heart ache, my chest tighten. He stood, Levi stood there, conflicted between leaving and staying, but he walked away eventually.
But I could see the hesitation in his eyes. Levi had always been reliable, cold, loyal, efficient, trustworthy without question.
I hired him some years back when he walked up to my office. A young fragile-looking boy, who chose to run my empire, despite the rules.
I told him what it would take. Running my empire simply meant ending his previous life, and becoming a new person.
He told me he had no life before now, His eyes were sharp, full of desperation.
His attitude was exactly what I needed. He reeked of desperation and hunger. The hunger that fueled his drive to succeed.
“I need a job.”
That was what he kept on repeating. No backstory, no details, no family, nothing.
The hunger in his eyes gave me everything I needed to know.
I simply gave him the job, then straight to becoming my right-hand man.
He never asked why, and I didn't tell why.
I trusted him easily, but I never told him because he looked like someone who had nothing left to lose.
Either ways, he was bound to remain faithful.
I never doubted his loyalty once, and he never gave me a reason to, not until now.
I noticed something lately. Something in him shifted.
The reports were not as they used to be. There was something lingering in each of his statements, which I couldn't place my hands on.
His eyes lingered too long at August, his stare and everything.
I watched their kiss. I just didn't want to confront him, so I left him.
It was a one time mistake. I told myself.
But Levi never made mistakes, so this was the first and I was ready to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He came to report on the nightmare, but it came with an edge in his voice.
He sounded too protective. Like he was doing more than the job he was assigned to.
I summoned him in, and he walked in without knocking, standing at attention, which was unlike Levi.
Levi was the most attentive and respectful person I knew. Coming into my office without knocking was one level of disrespect he knew I wouldn't take, but I let it slide.
"Sit," I told him. He did.
His posture perfect as usual.
"Yes, sir?" he asked. His eyes dared mine.
Levi was the only person who had seen my face among most of the people in the world. And I was willing to keep it that way till I was ready to reveal myself to August.
"About August's nightmare that you reported last night.” I paused, watching as his posture shifted.
“ You said he spoke about someone. finding someone, right? Good detail. But how did you know that?” I asked.
“Huh.?” he asked, shocked.
“You stood there longer than necessary because you overheard more than enough."
His eyes didn't flicker instead he held the eye contact, a small corner of his lips moving into something like a smirk.
“I only stayed to ensure he was okay nothing more, nothing less.” he smiled.
“Or ensuring something else,”I dared.
He folded his hands, "Meaning?"
"You were distracted." I shot back
“Lets leave that aside for now.” I said.
“He talked about the architecture and your response sounded more like you were irritated and tired of speaking to him. “ I glared.
“He was curious and defiant." he shot back.
Oh my God.
"That is a normal August behavior. It's normal for him, not for you. You were never one to show emotion, so why now?”
"You are growing attached," I answered instead.
I watched his jaw tighten. “That is my job. That's basically the reason why I'm in the mansion. I never work in the mansion, you know? But you clearly stated that August is the job and I had to be at the mansion the majority of my day.” he responded.
"The job is for you to watch closely, not for you to listen at night, or watch him sleep.”
It's still part of security," he said.
It was the truth, but I just let it be. I didn't want the jealousy getting the better part of me.
And for all we know, August might not recognize me at first glance.
"Remember why you're here. I gave you purpose, a place, power, authority, money. Don't make me regret it."
He nodded slowly. "I remember, I am loyal," he said, but I could sense something behind that.
“If August is- "He's not." He cut me immediately.
I studied him. Levi had never shared anything about his past. He only said he lived in an orphanage just once, nothing more. I didn't dig in. I trusted him more than enough, and he never gave me a reason to doubt that. But the way he watched August of recent stirred some questions.
"Good, because this only ends with him knowing," I said.
"What if he doesn't accept it?" Levi said. "He will," I said, tracing my hands over the screen, tracing his messy curls and his lips parted, like my boy I lost, my Gus.
"You're dismissed." He looked at me. "Okay." He left without another word. I watched him move, his fists clenched.
I saw the cracks. He was loyal, but it wouldn't last long. There was more to this than loyalty.
I looked at August as he was sleeping, his phone light shined on, hoping for a text from Nightshade.
He looked so much like my little Gus, like the boy I dragged from the fire, the same boy I promised to find again.
Soon he would put the pieces together.
And I pray, I just pray! That he accepts me after all these years.
- Writer
