Chapter 127 What am I doing here? - Miguel POV
This was a mistake. I never should have come here, my fingers gripping the glass of red wine that Samuel poured for me.
I didn't think that Ben could get even more twisted, but courting Katherine's cousin? After what he did to her?
I want to shake the girl who sits in her seat as if this is the best fucking thing that ever happened to her, and I want to reach over the table and grab Ben's neck and squeeze the life out of him.
I want to see the light die in his fucking eyes, an anger so big brewing in my veins at the thought that this mother fucker drugged the woman that I love.
He raped her, and had the audacity to film it.
Waiting to kill him until the time is right is becoming very difficult. If he dies tonight, Madison will come home.
The gun in the holster around my ankle feels heavy, a stark reminder that I can orchestrate his death tonight, but first I have a mission to complete.
Clone his phone.
I know it's in his right pants' pocket, because he checked it earlier, showing something to Sarah on the screen.
If I do, Lucille will be able to check every little thing he has buried on that device.
I want to throw up when Caroline covers her hand with mine on the table, her smile enough to hurl the entree on the Egyptian cotton thread linen tablecloth.
"I heard you're doing so well at the firm." Her eyes are seeking something in mine that I just can't read. "We're so happy you decided to come back and join the family business, right Ben?"
Ben's hand pauses as he lifts his glass to his lips, looking at his mother like she might have gone mad before schooling his expression.
"Of course. Two Cargills are better than one."
"It's good to be back." I lie. "I missed living in the city, I just have to find a place to live soon."
I watch Ben's expression, looking for a clue if it's him that's been following me.
"Where are you staying? You've been here for a while now." Caroline wants to know.
"Hotel." I take a tiny sip of wine. "But I might move next week if I can find the right place."
"Why don't you move in here?" Caroline walked right into that one. "Your father is never home, Ben moved out, there is more than enough space."
That was my plan, but now that I'm sitting back here at this dining table, I don't think I will be able to do it. There are too many bad memories here, this place gives me the creeps.
"Give me some time to think about it." I don't smile in this house. I don't think I've ever smiled here again after Ben killed my puppy.
"Don't think too much." She pats my hand. "I would love to have someone to keep me company at night."
I withdraw my hand from underneath hers immediately, the innuendo in her words clear.
I'm going to throw up, yet I keep my exterior calm and collected, reminding myself that I'm a grown man now. Caroline doesn't have power over me or my mother. My mother is safe in California, being taken cared of, wanting nothing. She can't blackmail me anymore.
"Ben, did you hear that model who was photographed with Madison was mugged and killed?" I change the topic, watching for his expression. "It was all over the news."
He sets his glass down, and clears his throat, averting my eyes. He's guilty as hell.
"Yes, it was such a pity." He looks up, something sinister in his gaze. "I was so happy she finally moved on after I left her."
I almost burst out laughing. Imagine leaving a woman like Madison, you must be mad.
"And good riddance too." Caroline pipes in. "Madison didn't belong in this family. Sarah, what was your major in school?"
I need to leave, but that would look too suspicious, and I still don't have that damn phone. The way this woman is talking about Madison is not sitting well with me.
I can't come back here again, at least not when Caroline is here. Whatever I need to do, I need to do it tonight.
Dinner is delicious, it always was when I lived here, but I always struggled to eat not knowing if my mother was okay, or if she had enough food to eat.
Sarah must have been trained for families like this. She's eloquent and in her place, and I want to tell her to get far away from these people as fast as she can. But I know sometimes there are casualties in war, and this time around I need to take care of what is mine and not worry about anybody else.
We go into the sunroom after dinner, and I take my chance when Ben is standing at the bar, and I stand too close to him, my fingers ready to do what it should.
"Nice catch." I say low enough so the others can't hear. I successfully extract the phone without him noticing, immediately pocketing it with the one that's going to do the cloning. "Have you fucked her yet? If she's anything like Katherine, she's going to be wild in bed."
I can feel the surprise in his body, it's been ages since I talked to him about anything personal.
"She's a little conservative." He chuckles while pouring cognac in both our glasses. "I was hoping she puts out tonight after I brought her here."
I accept the glass he gives me. "Good thinking, let me know how that went."
I leave him to take a seat on the couch, just waiting for the phone Lucille gave me to buzz twice before I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, depositing Ben's phone under the table where he was sitting in the dining room, before going to the bathroom in case someone was following me.
It's absurd how this looks like a mother and her grown kids having normal conversations when I return to the sunroom and pick up my glass again, listening to them talk about work and charities that Caroline champions.
I don't intend to stay longer than fucking ten minutes now that I did what I was supposed to.
When Ben excuses himself and Sarah, I also get up to leave, but my head feels a little fuzzy, and I drop down in my seat again, my legs suddenly starting to feel like lead.
And I know without a doubt, somebody fucking drugged me.