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• POWERLESS   0060

  It’s my fault… all of it. I blame myself for dragging Isla into my shit. It’s been two days since I got my hands on her phone… two fucking days, and as I stare at it inside the transparent nylon bag on the table in the investigator’s office, I can’t help the feeling of dread creeping into me. With all the money and power I possess, I couldn’t do anything for a full day because of the stupid law that says you have to wait twenty-four hours before filing a missing person report. Even after I showed them her damn broken phone. “Mr. Blackwood, I’ll suggest you sit this one out. Joseph Matin Muir will be on his way. Besides, I heard you have your own problems to deal with.” Ah yes, I do. I mean, when don’t I ever have a problem? From the moment I was born into this family, I’ve always had problems. A twisted father who never got satisfaction from anything I did. Who never even saw me as worthy of getting my own inheritance. A sick, twisted wife who fucked around. With a quick exhal

• POWERLESS   0059

  TWO MONTHS AGO ALEXANDER’S POV I stare blankly at my phone screen as I clench the cigar in my hand. I don’t even know how long it’s been. Minutes? Hours? I’m a complete mess. Why did I ask her to come? I should’ve gone to pick her up myself. But she insisted on coming alone. And now I feel like the biggest fool after what happened last night. I wasn’t gentle enough… and God, she still thinks she’s a virgin. The thought makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Just how badly did she lose herself? “Sir? The conference is about to start.” “Cancel it.” I don’t bother looking at Mario. I flip through the files on my desk, but he’s still standing there, stiff and waiting. “Sir—It’s the Matin Muir, and you said—” “I know what I said, Mario. I won’t be attending.” I turn my gaze back to the view. The weight of the day presses on me. My name’s all over the internet for the worst reasons, thanks to Theodore. I cut my gaze toward my father’s massive portrait hanging on t

• POWERLESS   0058: The Final Thread

  I’ve always known I had the terrible habit of sticking my nose where it didn’t belong, even when the warning bells were screaming DON’T DO IT. But it’s the fear of being left in the dark that terrifies me the most. The feeling that if I don’t know what’s going on, I’m being blindly led into a slaughter zone. Even now, as I walk hand-in-hand with Alex. He says nothing, but his lips curve into a heartwarming smile as he lifts me off the ground. My head turns automatically, trying to take in the surroundings. A hospital? The bright, sterile ceiling glows above, and the sharp scent of medicine burns my nostrils as I realize I’m being carried toward a bed. Confusion claws at my chest. What’s going on? I glance up at his face. His lips are moving like he’s trying to speak, or maybe he already is—I can’t tell. The softness of the sheets cushions my back as he gently lowers me onto the bed. But the moment my body sinks into it, a sharp sting radiates from my pelvis, burning hot and

• POWERLESS   0057

  “So you’re saying—” “He got me pregnant…” So that’s why she’s so jealous? To the extent of harming Beatrice? Because he chose her instead of her? “I don’t believe anything you say about Beatrice. I want to go back…” She flinches suddenly, and I pause, watching her remove her hands from the railing. She drops them to her sides with a sigh, and I catch the slight drip of blood. “These darn railings… you never know when you might just get scratched by the rusted parts,” she laughs softly, rubbing the bleeding wound with the scarf wrapped around her neck. I eye her warily as another gust of wind blows, scattering her hair to the side. “Don’t look at me like—” The sound of footsteps behind me cuts her off. Her gaze shifts to Jake, standing just behind the lounge chair I’m currently occupying. How is he so fast? “Sorry for interrupting your little sister bonding,” he says, directing his words at Celeste, “but we have some serious issues.” I spare a glance at the blonde w

• POWERLESS   0056

  “You’re up early.” “And I should’ve drugged you so you’d still be asleep while I handle my business,” Jake mutters, clearly annoyed as he walks slowly to the edge of my bed. I woke early, even without knowing if it’s morning or not. I had to act fast. The keys are hidden now, tucked away somewhere he won’t easily find. And I’m almost certain that’s exactly what he’s looking for. I keep my expression neutral, feigning the grogginess of someone who just woke up as i dart my gaze to the red dot flashing slightly from the perched camera close to the couch by the walls as i remember shifting it in the middle of the night to face the wall while i stash the keys in the wooden lines on the ceiling. “We’re on the lower deck,” I say, more a statement than a question. He glances at me briefly before shifting his attention back to the couch. Shit. Does he think he dropped the keys under there? “Yes, I believe we are. If you’re planning to throw yourself into the ocean, I suggest you w

• POWERLESS   0055

  “For the love of all things stressful, can you stop trying to jump off the ship? You’re being unreasonable, and I might as well beat the stubbornness out of you if you keep acting this way.” I watch with dazed eyes as Jake carries me back inside the ship, through that cursed all-white hallway that makes me feel like I’ve been admitted to a mental asylum. It doesn’t help that I’m also dressed in a flimsy white gown—the exact kind patients wear in those places. I wasn’t contemplating suicide or anything. The windowless rooms were just making me sick, and I needed fresh air. So I walked out of the room I’ve been confined in for… days? To my surprise, the door wasn’t locked. Jake wasn’t even guarding it. My legs have healed enough, so I did what I could. I ran. I don’t know why, I just… did. Out into the open, into the inky blackness that is the sea. The sight alone makes me want to throw up the pathetic dinner they gave me—apples, as usual. The ship is massive, now that I thin