Page 123 of Freed By Fire
I raise an eyebrow. “Why would he do that?”
Oliver sucks in a harsh breath and averts his gaze. “Because I betrayed him.”
“I see.”
“Not in the way you think,” Oliver adds quickly. “I was… God, I don’t even know what I was thinking, but I was trying to help. When Dad brought me back, I was angry and frustrated, and I thought I wouldn’t be here long, but when the days dragged on, I realized I had to take matters into my own hands.”
“So, you went to our enemies for help?”
Oliver tilts his head in confusion. “What? No, I would never do that. I know I don’t have the experience you and Mathew do, but I know getting into bed with them is a bad idea. They’d gut me like a fish as soon as they were done with me.”
Oliver glances behind me, and a flicker of fear moves across his face. “I went to Mathew for help. I told him that we needed to do whatever it took to end the war, and he agreed.”
“Go on.”
“He told me the only way to end the war was to make a deal with our enemies.” Oliver winces. “I know it sounds bad, and I fought him on it, but he told me that he knew better, and I believed him.”
I motion for Oliver to continue.
“He told me that he was too recognizable and that I had to be the one to meet with them, so I did,” Oliver continues. “Wediscussed terms for a new alliance and handing over more of the Payne assets.”
Searing anger erupts within me. “Fucking hell, Oliver. At no point did you stop to consider what a bad idea all of this was? Why didn’t you come to me?”
“Because you don’t listen to me. You’ve never listened to me.”
“You’re my little brother! You weren’t supposed to get dragged into any of this. You were supposed to know better. Do better.”
Oliver’s expression tightens. “How am I supposed to when I’m always treated like a child? Even Mathew was always looking over me and telling me what to do.”
“Let’s say I believed you. Why would Mathew turn on you?”
Especially when it was all happening under my nose, and I was none the wiser.
Is it possible I had the wrong brother followed and watched?
You know how power-hungry and jealous Mathew is. He hasn’t made it a secret that he thinks he’d do a better job than you.
But my twin has always been direct and clear about his ambitions.
Working in silence and secrecy isn’t his style.
Unless he got fed up with waiting around for your father to have you removed. If you think about it, everything Oliver is saying makes sense.
Unless my little brother is playing me, too.
I can’t shake the feeling that this is all a test to see how far my loyalties go.
“Because I discovered how deep the betrayal ran,” Oliver replies. “I had no idea. If I had, I never would’ve… I didn’t know he wanted to hurt you, Mason, I swear. I got played.”
“You should’ve come to me.”
“I’ve been wanting to come clean for weeks.” Oliver’s voice is so quiet now that I have to lean in to hear him. “But he’s got eyes and ears everywhere, and I was afraid of what he’d do if he found out I was going to flip. I knew he’d pin this on me.”
I reel back. “And here we are.”
“I’m being set up,” Oliver repeats. “I don’t know what I can do to make you believe me, but it’s the truth.”
I can’t dismiss the possibility of Mathew being the traitor, but it makes the reality so much worse.
