I really appreciate Kai wanting to appoint me as his casino manager, but I like what I do for him. Before Carter came along, it was just me and Kai. He’s been my brother and I’ve been trying my damnedest to keep him safe. I’d like to think I’ve been doing a good job so far.
Taking the hose from the wall behind me, I spray the blood from the floor as I rack my brain on why Kai is deciding that now he wants someone else to watch his back. After the incident all those months back when he ran away without telling me or Carter and left his phone behind, I’ve basically been attached to his hip when we’re outside of the house. There have been no attempts on his life, and I’ve made sure he makes it home to his husband every night.
Shortly after I hang up the hose, Kai comes back with hair damp, dressed in a new suit. He fixes his cuff links and nods. “Let’s get out of here.”
We both clap hands with Manuel before we head out.
The drive to the construction company is tense, since I want to ask why Kai wants to get rid of me, but not wanting to know at the same time.
Kai is the only family I have since my parents are dead. Being pushed to the side kind of fucking sucks.
When we step inside, I greet Kai’s assistant Percy, whose nervous energy is palpable. Even though I’ve known him since he was a kid, he still looks at me like he thinks I’m going to shove my gun down his throat.
Kai sits behind his desk and pulls out some tubes. He slides the floor plans out of them and spreads them across his desk.
I look over Kai’s shoulder at the construction for the new casino he and Carter are planning to open.
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing to a blocked off section with the letter S in the middle.
“Casino safe room. Just in case we have an issue and gotta get away fast.”
I hum. After the shit we went through with the Fensters, it’s smart to have an escape plan, even at work.
“Looks good.”
“Thanks,” he says, trying to keep the smile out of his voice.
Though Carter and I don’t see eye to eye, I’ll admit that he’s made Kai a more open person. Before Carter, if I’d given Kai a compliment, he would have told me to fuck off, not believing he deserved it. Charlie did a real number on him. I’d offered to kill his dad more than once, but Kai had brushed me off, probably not thinking I was serious. I would have capped Charlie in a heartbeat if Kai asked me to.
Unfortunately, one of the Fensters got that honor.
“You sure about not wanting the casino?” he asks distractedly, as he erases something on his large construction paper. “This could all be yours.”
I scoff. “No. I told you, I like my job.”
Kai peeks up at me. “You don’t want to do more?”
“Where is this coming from?” I ask, on guard now. “You trying to get rid of me?”
Now it’s his turn to scoff. “No. Never. I just don’t want you to feel like you’re trapped. If you were the manager, I know you wouldn’t fuck me over and you’re smart as fuck. You could handle it if you want to.”
“I don’t want to. I like what I do for you. Is that good enough?”
“Okay, okay. I won’t ask anymore. But if you change your mind?—”
“I won’t.”
Kai drops it, thankfully.
A few minutes later, Carter and Gavin come into Kai’s office, carrying two duffle bags each.
After placing his bags on Kai’s desk, Carter bends and gives him a sloppy kiss. I roll my eyes and slap hands with Gavin. I swear those two act like they’ve been separated for years instead of a fucking hour.
“What’s all this? Last I checked, my birthday isn’t for another five months,” Kai says.
“Declan got a payday,” Carter says. “Seems like Cliff lifted this from Charlie’s safe after he died. Tried to buy my brother off, saying he would give it to Declan if Declan let him go.”
Kai chuckles. “And your brother didn’t take the money?”
