He’d dedicated his life to putting himself in a position of being able to help those around him. His own personal journey to healing came at the hands of years of suffering before he realized he needed a better way of coping with the shit life had shoveled his way.
“You seem optimistic,” I remarked.
“I live for these types of cases. You know that. Much like you live for yours.”
“Bringing closure, or in your case, healing, is rather cathartic, isn’t it? Do you have a strategy in mind?”
“Getting her to engage is my first priority. Uncovering her true motives behind reaching out is second. Something tells me it has more to do with furthering her relationship with Alek. I’m wondering if a FaceTime session would better serve us, but for this initial one, I’m going to be flexible.”
“Well, heads up, she’s fucking intuitive as hell.”
He nodded and took a sip of his drink. “I know you guys mentioned things have gone silent on the mob connection and that you want me to tread carefully with how much I mention, but I need you to really convey to Alek that if it comes up and it feels right, I will ask her about it directly.”
“What else did Alek tell you?” I sensed there was more to their conversation.
The resounding chuckle he gave me told me plenty. “He gave me permission to share about Renee.”
Renee was a woman my brother thought he loved. He was twenty-one at the time and hadn’t been practicing the lifestyle long. He’d made a mess of things with her and never forgave himself.
“I’m impressed.”
“Yeah, it’s a first, for sure. Normally, he doesn’t care enough for the woman to want her to know. He typically only wants my professional opinion on if said new woman reminds me of her. Which goes to show I need to proceed carefully but thoroughly.”
“Speaking of your professional opinion, you know Alek’s going to want full details,” I remarked dryly.
“He can want them, but he isn’t likely to get true details. At least not in the way he wants. You know how I operate. He does as well. I can count on you to back me, right?”
The question hung in the air. “Of course. I’ve been dealing with the fallout of her influence on him since her photo hit my desk. I’ll let you go. I look forward to the follow-up, and I’ll make sure the guys are all dialed in when it happens. That way, you’re not having to repeat it.”
“I appreciate it. I’ll call you back later.”
As I hung up with Marcel, the weight of his and Alek’s conversation settled on my shoulders. The prospect of Kinsley opening up, sharing her journey, left me feeling hopeful. But a part of me couldn’t shake the feeling I’d hopped onto a roller-coaster ride.
It was that calm before they instructed you to keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times. I was in that moment where they pull on the strap to ensure you were buckled, knowing full well what was to come. The inevitable slow climb before the stomach-dropping freefall hit was where I was sitting. I suddenly felt likeIneeded a drink.
Kinsley
Earlier, when I walked toward the door to leave Nik’s office, I turned back to say something, and my breath caught in my throat. I froze, a pang of jealousy shooting through me as I observed the way his secretary looked at him. With a coy smile gracing her lips, she waited patiently for me to leave.
As I was about to close the door, she murmured, “I came to see if you needed anything, Mr. King.” Her hand touched his chest before the door closed all the way.
Determined to put as much distance between us as I could, I picked up my pace, swallowing back tears. I closed the door to the office he’d set up for me and took a quick minute to collect myself. But visions of Nik fucking his secretary filled my head, and jealousy burned through me.
You really are stupid, aren’t you? As if you could possibly keep any of the King brotherssatisfied.
I tried to shake off the negativity in my head. It stung way more than I cared to admit, and I was left grappling with the confusion of why it mattered to me at all. Nik wasn’t mine. None of these men were. That was reality.
I settled into the chair and played with the ends of my hair as I waited for Marcel to call. My nerves were all over the place, and my phone’s loud ring jolted me. With a deep breath, I answered, completely unsure if this was the right move or not.
Chapter 27
Marcel
Counseling 101
With a glass of brandy in one hand and her intake forms in the other, I meticulously scanned them, trying to read between the lines. And boy, did some of her responses have me chuckling.
Navigating the mental aptitude of one of the guys’ potential play partners wasn’t something new, yet this felt different in some small way. Despite the late hour, my senses were heightened. I settled into the armchair in my room and waited, my gaze fixed on the last question on the form.
