“Oh yeah…who told you that bullshit?”
“A lawyer friend, who also told me you have no reason to hold me.”
“Fucking lawyers,” Heath mumbled. Then hearing someone calling Kahn’s name, he turned quickly, putting himself in front of Reeve’s mate.
“Oh for pete’s sake,” Kahn growled, pushing Heath aside. “That’s the gallery owner and, trust me, she has no intention of hurting her golden goose.” Taking a few steps forward, he called, “Emilia, did I forget something?”
“No…” Emilia Miralles hesitated, looking fearfully at Heath. “I just wanted to make sure everything was all right.”
Glancing over his left shoulder at Heath, he muttered, “Lose the attitude if you don’t want her calling the cops.” Then turning back to Emilia, Kahn smiled. “Everything’s fine. My friend is going to give me a ride home. And as soon as I’ve finished the rest of the paintings, I’ll give you a call.”
“Okay…are you sure?” Emilia asked, still doubtful that everything was okay.
“Yup…talk to you soon.” Kahn gave her a wave before turning around and muttering to Heath, “Get in the car, now.”
Heath quickly pushed the button on his key fob, unlocking both doors. Climbing back in, he started the engine, waiting for Kahn to close his door before driving off. Keeping his eyes on the road, Heath remained silent, hoping his anger would soon abate.
Kahn turned his head sideways, studying his keeper, which was how he regarded him, and noticed the tic in his jaw. Heath was angry, though Kahn couldn’t understand why. His lawyer friend had assured Kahn that if, at any time, he wanted out of protective custody, Heath and his boss couldn’t force him to stay. Once he knew that, he’d left the safe house. So why thehell was Heath so furious? It was a mystery to him that he was determined to find out more about.
Chapter 13
“What the fuck is pissing you off?” asked Kahn. “You and I both know it has nothing to do with my father.”
Glancing over at his passenger, Heath said, “You do realize your father is backed into a corner now that he’s a hunted fugitive. “
Snorting, Kahn said, “Duh…of course I do but it still doesn’t answer my question.”
“And you do know once Josiah is captured, you’ll become the Alpha of the Silver Point Pack,” Heath replied.
“That’s never going to happen…but I’ll bite…what does that have to do with anything?”
“What do you mean ‘it won’t happen?’ You’re next in line.”
Kahn shook his head. “I thought you were smarter than that. Okay, let me explain the facts of life to you. One: I’m gay and no matter how many times my father tried to chalk it up to being a phase I was going through, he was wrong.” Holding up a second finger, he continued, “I willnevertake a female mate just to produce an heir. And according to my father, the pack will never accept me as their Alpha if I don’t. Finally, I’m an artist and couldn’t care less about leading a pack. I always hoped one of my sisters would have a child who’d become the next Alpha, but my dear father’s stupidity makes that impossible because now no one will want to marry them because of the shit he pulled.” Kahn paused, catching his breath, before saying, “Someone should have challenged that bastard a long time ago.”
“Why didn’t they?” asked Heath.
“Because everyone knew Rudy would be ordered to kill them before they ever got to the contest. That sadist could matchand even beat my father when it came to cruelty. Kahn looked down at his paint splattered fingers. “That’s why my mother and sisters were at my place. She found out Rudy was going to take advantage of my father’s absence and force CeCe to marry him.” Raising his eyes, he looked at Heath. “I was never going to allow that…never!
“Aside from my father, very few others knew what Rudy was capable of, but I did...firsthand. I saw it every time my father forced me to attend one of Rudy’s ‘training’ sessions, a misnomer if ever there was one. The verbal abuse…and bloody beatings Rudy meted out were just for him to get his cookies off on the cries and howls of the trainees who weren’t allowed to fight back. No matter the sacrifice I’d have to make, I was prepared to make sure my sister would never have to be under that monster’s thumb.”
“Why didn’t you go back to assume the Alpha position after you found out your father had left?” Heath asked, curious to find out more about who Kahn really was.
“Rudy would’ve killed me and then what good would I be to my mother and sisters?”
Opening his mouth to speak, Heath quickly closed it as Kahn’s words sunk in. Until now, he thought the man was just a spoiled son of an Alpha, playing at life. And though Reeve told him Kahn was a talented artist, he’d chalked that up to Reeve bragging about his mate. But now his initial appraisal of Kahn began to change. “How do you know Rudy would kill you? Did he ever threaten you? Does your father know about this?”
Bursting into laughter, Kahn shook his head. “Rudy is still alive because my father never found out about his secret ambition to replace him.”
“How do you know that? Or are you just guessing?”
“It’s not a guess…and if my father ever listened or paid attention to Rudy other than using him as a tool for his nefarious purposes, he would have realized it long ago.”
“Makes sense,” Heath muttered to himself. Pulling into the safe house driveway, he killed the engine, before turning to Kahn. “Does your mother know Rudy wants you dead?”
Shrugging Kahn said, “Maybe…we never talk about it if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Shit!” Heath murmured, rubbing his hands over his face. Reeve needed to get this information pronto. If any of the pack’s enforcers were in cahoots with Rudy, then it would be dangerous to release them until a full investigation into Rudy was completed. “Listen…”
