Marc lost sight of him as Kash shuffled him inside the kitchen. Kash headed straight for the fridge while Nathaniel looked scandalized. Guests simply didn’t open the refrigerator on his well-oiled ship.
“What’s up, Nate?”
Nathaniel didn’t respond. He left the room.
Kash grabbed two beers from the fridge. He laughed as he passed one Marc’s way. “Well, that had the desired effect. We’re alone.”
Marc twisted the cap off the bottle and tossed it onto the island. “What’s up?” He took a swig as he waited for whatever Kash planned to hit him with.
“Ry’s dead.”
Marc shrugged. “Good riddance.” He took another drink. He had a bad feeling about where this was headed. Kash didn’t look as friendly as he always did.
“You don’t seem surprised.”
Marc leaned back against the counter behind him. “I’m surprised. I just don’t care. He was a piece of shit. The world is better off without him.”
Kash continued eyeing him in a way that made the hair stand on the back of Marc’s neck. “I know who you are, by the way.”
Marc pulled a confused face. He was an excellent actor. “Yeah. No shit. You hired me to be Valon’s guard. We’ve had a while now to get to know each other. I fucking hope you know who I am.”
Kash’s stare turned more intense, as if seeking weaknesses in Marc's words. “Yeah. I did that. But then something about youate at my gut. It’s your eyes. At first, I thought you just had that everyday nice-guy look. But the more often I saw you, the more those eyes scratched the back of my brain. They’re your dad’s eyes.”
Marc pulled even more confusion into his vibe. “Yeah. I don’t look anything like my dad.”
“Maybe not, except for those eyes.”
Marc didn’t show an ounce of concern even though he knew he was cornered. “So? Who is this mysterious dad?” There was still a chance Kash was wrong. He wouldn’t out himself willingly.
“John Slaughter Campbell.”
A loud snort burst from him that nearly had beer spewing out his nose. Kash had chosen a hell of a time to say that. Now his sinuses burned. “There’re people who still call him that? I thought the press had chosen something different.” Marc shook his head, still trying to keep from laughing. He pulled out a stool and sat. “What’s the point of this conversation?”
Kash shrugged and grabbed a stool across from him. “I’ve known for a while, but Valon has become a whole new person thanks to you. While I have no idea what you did, the change has made Ledger sleep better. When Ledger sleeps better, I sleep better. You feel me? I don’t think you mean him harm. But I also don’t know what your game is, and I don’t like that.”
“There’s no game.” He had already won. “Why does there have to be a game? He’s happy. That makes me happy. Life keeps running smoothly.”
Kash set his beer aside and sighed. “For Ledger’s sake, I want to believe you don’t mean any harm. Unfortunately, I know all about you, and it’s bloody. It’s always been in your genes to cause harm.” Kash’s gaze sharpened. “But it’s always been my job to be just as dangerous. If I see any signs you intend to hurt him or exploit him in any way, I’d really hate to pit my insanity against yours. But I have no mercy when it comes to Ledger. I’d bet on me.”
Marc couldn’t stop his eye roll. “I don’t think you realize how dramatic you sound. Did you forget to look into my life at all, or did you stop with my dad? I ended up in a decent foster home, got good grades, went to college on a football scholarship, and landed a career I love. It seems kind of unfair to judge me for the sins of my father.”
Kash snorted. “So that family who took you in both worked directly below a CEO who stole a lot of money from them. He turned up dead not long after you were taken in. That high school where you got such good grades had two teachers go missing a month after you graduated. The town where you went to college had a few mysterious deaths while you were there. While I can’t say those had anything to do with you, it’s an odd coincidence for you to always be there.”
Marc couldn’t stop smiling. He shook his head. “I’m pretty sure those two teachers ran off together. They were both married to other people and still narrowly missed getting caught incompromising positions nearly every day. Just because my dad is a murderer doesn’t mean I am.”
Kash cocked his head to one side, openly studying him. “No, but you have it in you. You could do it. It took me a while to recognize what I saw in you that made me so certain you could save Valon, but I see it now. It’s me. I see myself when I look at you. That crazed obsession. The way you can mimic feelings and personalities, becoming whoever it takes to get whatever job done with zero remorse.”
Marc chuckled. “Ouch. I have feelings.”
“Do any of them extend to anyone beyond Valon? I need to know he’s not in danger with you. Right now, I’m not so sure. I mean, Ry—”
Marc felt everything inside him harden. He became the person Kash feared he might be. “Ry was a vile piece of shit who literally tortured his own son every time you and Ledger weren’t looking. Neither of you bothered to notice while you were wrapped up in each other. The moment Valon got a single thing Ry could take that he hadn’t already, he spent his free time tormenting Valon the only way he still could: blackmail.”
“Whoa. What?”
Marc couldn’t stop. It was too late. Kash had unlocked a rage Marc had worked hard to tamp down. “It came to me to be the savior Valon needed. Everyone else has been too busy overlooking him as a dramatic, spoiled rock star with no realproblems. He should fucking hate you all for the way you left him in pain and then to drown. How very fucking dare you come to me, accusing me of being the danger. Looks to me, all the people who should’ve loved him and saved him are the real danger. Don’t worry. I’ve got him.” Marc heard the rage and barely contained ugliness that ran in his blood. He couldn’t stop it. He had been set free of his self-imposed restraints. Kash didn’t want this fight.
Kash looked genuinely hurt. “He hurt Valon and blackmailed him? Why didn’t he say something? I never would’ve stood aside and let that happen.”
