“I do. His name’s Presley, and he’s the son of the worst family I was telling you about. Convict calls him Mini Marchant-Smythe. Wait, his parents are Phylis and Philip.”
I goggled at her, and she laughed.
“All the P names. He’s just like them. He was the one sending anonymous hate mail about my grandfather. We didn’t see him today, but I’m not surprised that he’s here.”
“Are you going to talk to him?”
“I want him suffering. Do you know he called the cops on Convict? That’s how your dad had him in Leith.” She wrinkled her nose. “Sorry if that’s weird.”
I waved her off, and she took up her phone to type out a message. “He’s our age, so nowhere near old enough to be part of the conspiracy, and he’s hardly going to give up any wrongdoing his parents took part in. He’s of no use to me, but I know someone else who wants a word.”
Presley yelled and ranted at the unmoving bouncer. As we watched, another figure climbed the VIP stairs behind him. A willowy brunette with long nails I remember curling around Kane’s arm. My heart sank to the floor.
“Oh my God,” I muttered.
Finished with her text, Mila took in the newcomer then my expression. “We don’t like that lady?”
I swallowed bile. “She’s a previous…acquaintance of your brother’s. We encountered her on the hunt for Dixie. He didn’t want to talk to her, but she was persistent.”
Mila’s eyes rounded in outrage. She knew I’d spent the night in Kane’s bedroom but hadn’t asked any questions, for which I was grateful. “Did she follow him here?”
“I think she must have.” Without conscious intent, I found myself on my feet and crossing the VIP suite.
In Warford, in his own way, Kane had asked me to protect him from her. This time, I’d do it of my own accord.
For my sake, I couldn’t have mustered the energy. For him, it was right there.
Another bouncer had joined the first who was still arguing with Presley. I tapped the nearest on the shoulder. He made way so I could see Karla.
She smiled prettily at him, then her gaze landed on me and soured.
“What are you doing here, Karla?” I said over the music.
“None of your business, but I’ve come for an interview. I’m early so I’m taking a look around.”
An interview could mean the bars, the strip club, or the brothel. All of them close to Kane. I winced but held my ground. “If you’re after Kane, he doesn’t want you near him. I don’t know how much clearer he can make that.”
“He can tell me for himself. Is he here?”
“Not for a stalker, he isn’t.”
She centred on me with outrage. I wasn’t done.
“If you don’t back off, next time, it’ll be a restraining order.”
Karla’s lip curled in a snarl, all the lightness fleeing her expression. “Bitch, don’t act like you know him. He’s not what you think he is. If he’s playing nice with you, it’s only because he’s slumming it for a while. Do you seriously think he’s going to be interested for long? Please. Not in a club like this with women like me on demand whenever he wants it. I’m going to invite him to join me in the interview process. Did you know he likes it rough? Ask me how I know.”
Hurt stole my breath at the thought of him touching her. Enjoying the things he wanted to do that I’d found far more challenging.
“Whether he wants me or not isn’t the point. I’m not fighting with you over him. I’m repeating what he told you. Leave him alone.”
An arm slid around me, Mila at my side and her fierce gaze on Karla. “If ever my brother was slumming it, it was with your sorry ass. He wised up and moved on to far better things. Get out of this club.”
The man still fighting with the other bouncer further back on the steps whipped around at her voice. “Mila?”
She gave him a flat stare. “Piss off, Presley.”
He strained against the bouncer’s outstretched arm. “You call yourself family, well, leave my parents the fuck alone. You have no idea what they’ve had to handle. All the shit they put up with. Back off or?—”
