Page 26 of The Heir
I look over at King, my mom's panic making tears well up in my eyes. "Hendrix,call them off, get us out of here. Do something!" I implore, worried about my mother who looks like she can't move and might be in the middle of a panic attack.
His eyes narrow as he signals to the two body guards on our right. "Pablo, Gustavo. Go get the pictures back. I don't care what you have to pay. Make sure the cameras are wiped clean, and get their personal information just in case we need it later." The two men move without hesitation, headed to the two paparazzi who snapped the photos of us.
My mom looks up at him. "Whoareyou? I thought you were an architect?" She stiffens, looking at the two bodyguards walking away. "And why are they taking pictures of you and your friends going for a run?" Mom speaks slowly, looking thoroughly confused like she's trying but failing to piece something together.
The sight of her familiar vulnerability mixed with the confusion causes my heart to pound and I'm suddenly worried she's experiencing a stoke or something.
"Mom, do you feel okay?" I ask softly, reaching out to run my hand down her arm.
King gets a slightly wary look on his face before he folds his arms. "Ma'am, I'm Hendrix King, and thesearen'tmy friends… they're my bodyguards."
My mom snaps her eyes to his and just stares. For way too fucking long. I begin to get nervous, sweating now for a different reason.
"King…" she says slowly and I see it click, her eyes widen. "Ohhhh my god! FromThe King Dynastyfamily?"
I purse my lips, because how does she know?
King nods. "Nice to meet you ma'am." My mom's eyes slide towards me and then still. I see it then, clear as day. Something wrong, something bad. We're all quiet for a long period of time until the two guards make their way back to us and confirm the pictures are wiped.
I don't know what to say or what to do because I don't know what the fuck is going on with my mom right now.
"Mom, I really think we should leave-"
"Oh Isobel, you'll make it in time for your proposal tonight," she snaps irritably. "This is much more important.Hendrix."She turns her eyes back to King's. "Does the name Claudio Maniotti mean anything to you?"
At the mention of my dad's name, everything leaves my head and I stiffen.
King stands silent for a second. His brow furrows as he thinks, and I can see the wheels turning in his mind."Yes…"he says slowly, keeping his eyes on hers."But I'm not in the mafia. Nor is my family. We only have some connections but we aren't in that lifestyle as we have one of our own."
I frown, blinking.What's that supposed to mean?
King pauses. "Why, what's the problem?"
She points at me, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Don't tell him, don't tell him, don't tell him.Make up something!I plead, but she ignores the panicked look on my face.
"Her father is Claudio Maniotti, and I've been running from him for twenty years."
"Mom, it's been too long. He doesn't care about me," I stress. A look passes over mom's face, but I just wave a hand dismissively, scoffing and put it in the back of my brain because honestly, I've been so long without a father, I doubt he cares enough to show up. What would he want me for anyways?
Her other words finish processing and I feel my eyes widen.
"Wait,Christopher's proposing?"A tentative smile breaks out on my face, and I'm so caught up in that revelation that I don't pay any mind when all four of Kings men snap their heads to look at me at the same time, then look at him. "When?"
Is this why he's been acting so weird?
"Tonight at that art show dinner thing you two are supposed to be going to," she sighs, looking tired. "Did you get the pictures back Mr. King? How much do I owe you?"
King clears his throat, his brows are furrowed together and he looks irritated. However, the mask slips on quickly. "Nothing, ma'am. It's handled. Consider it a gift."
My brows go up and I turn to face him head on. "I amsosorry. This really isn't any of your business, you were just trying to go on your morning run and then got tangled up in this mess." I step forward and put my hand on his bicep. "Please tell me how much it cost and I'll make sure to get it back to you. This doesn't have anything to do with you."
King slowly looks at my hand on his bicep, and out my peripheral I see the men usher my mother and sister back a few steps, stepping around and in front of them to give us privacy. My brows furrow,wondering why, when suddenly his other hand comes up to cover mine, squeezing it.
I see a little black smudge of what looks to be ink on his index finger.
"It has everything to do with me. I'm now involved whether you like it or not," he says back quietly. His thumb flutters across the back of my fingers and I feel myself melt. "What are you going to say?"
