I refill it like a good little boy.
“You forget I knew you when you were a child, here every summer and holiday with your father. As soon as Blair got home from school she’d look for you and then we lost her for the holidays. There was one year when she and her mother had a huge argument over her not going to spend the summer in South Africa. The number of reasons she came out with was impressive.”
“We were good friends.”
“You were more than that, Ben. She’s been in love with you since you were both teenagers.”
No punch could fell me harder. I pass him his glass, refilled, and sit down in the chair, leaning back. I had never thought about how Blair felt about me. I’d always considered myself her piece on the side, the bad lad she could rebel with safely because I was never going to sell her out.
“And I’m taking it you hadn’t worked that out?”
It’s my turn to shake my head.
The king laughs. “Maybe it would’ve been better coming from her, but that’s provided me with quite a bit of entertainment.” He sips at the whisky rather than gulping it like before.
“Is that what you came to tell me?”
“No, lad. I came to ask you something.”
My heart rate has just about returned to normal.
“Anything.”
“Anything as long as I don’t demand you give her up?”
I’d never considered it might come to that. I’d never thought beyond the next night or the next visit or tour or threat.
“I gave her up when I joined the army.” It was true. If I hadn’t left then, I didn’t know what I would turn her into.
“I know you did. Didn’t know why at first, but then Micky did a little digging.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
The king coughs. His breath catches.
“Did you not know enough about me when you employed my father?”
When he’s stabilised his breathing he looks back up. “Ben, it was your father who told us. About your mother, and your sister.”
But not my aunt. Because the only person who knew about that was Majken and the people my aunt introduced me to. How I made my keep.
“And you still gave him a job?”
“And you, later on.”
“Keep your enemies close, I suppose.” I stand up, wondering if this will be me leaving.
He laughs, then coughs. “Sit back down.”
For once, I do as I’m told.
“Nothing in this world is straightforward, something my daughter is about to learn. Everyone has an agenda, sometimes more than one. Blair has just started a role she was never taught how to manage. She’s a target, Ben, as you know.”
“She knows that.”
“And at some point she’ll decide this isn’t the life she wants and make a decision for herself. When that time comes, support her.”
“I might not be around then.”
