Chapter 3Caught By The Beast I Caged

Ever since I’d claimed to be the housekeeper, Elias stopped asking questions. He spent most of his time sitting on the edge of the bed, staring into the dark. He looked like a man waiting for the end.

I went to make dinner, but the fridge was a wasteland. All that was there were a few bottles of expensive red wine. No wonder he was so thin. Beneath that shirt, his collarbones looked like they could cut glass. The vibrant man from the ID photo had been hollowed out.

I wore a mask and a hoodie to the grocery store, avoiding every security camera I could. If Jason eventually went down, I needed to make sure I wasn't caught in the blast radius.

I came back and whipped up a hot, three-course meal. I invited Elias to the small dining table.

He walked out, his face like a thundercloud. The monitor on his ankle was flashing red. The display on the wall—part of some high-tech security system Jason must have installed—showed his status: Irritated.

"Didn't they tell you the rules?" Elias said, his sightless eyes fixed on a corner of the room. "I didn't ask you to cook. Get out."

"...They?" I whispered.

He didn't answer, as if my stupidity wasn't worth his breath. My hands shook as I held the tray. My brother wasn't just a kidnapper; was he part of a syndicate? Was "they" a whole organization of psychos?