Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
KIT
“Hello, Kitten.”
I swung around and dropped my shopping as I staggered back and fell against my front door.
Blinking hard, my mouth opened and closed, but no words came.
Kelvin stood in the kitchen doorway, holding a mug which he took a leisurely sip from.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Kelvin, in my home… Alex had said he’d sort it…
“I’ll get you one if you like? Reckon you can use it, ‘cause you’re not looking too great. You’ve gone all pasty, and you’re soaking. Get caught in that downpour, did you? You look like a drowned rat, if you don’t mind me saying.”
“What are you doing here? How did you get in?” I was caught between anger and fear, and didn’t know whether to confront him or turn and run.
He didn’t bother to answer as he sauntered back into the kitchen.
Anger tipped the fine balance within me and I rushed after him.
“You’ve got no right to be here, breaking into my house and—”
“Didn’t see that I had any other choice, because I don’t reckon you’d have invited me in if I’d just turned up.” He smirked when I didn’t have an answer, and all I could do was stand and watch as he stood in my kitchen and poured boiling water from my kettle into one of my mugs.
He held the coffee out to me, but I didn’t take it.
“Go on, drink it.” He huffed. “There’s nothing wrong with it.
I’ve not spat in it, or spiked it if that’s what you’re thinking.
” He rolled his eyes and shook his head when I made no attempt to move, and he placed it on the little kitchen table.
Pulling out a chair he sat down. “You know, I’m surprised you don’t have a burglar alarm, and frankly your door lock’s worth shit.
I’m surprised, Kitten, I really am, what with this being a high crime area an’ all.
I’ve never been a burglar. Doing over somebody’s home has never been my thing, but getting into a house without leaving a mark is a very useful skill, and one I learnt during my reckless youth.
” He smiled, hard and bright, and I shuddered.
Finding my voice once more, I stoked my anger.
“I don’t know what your game is, but I want you out otherwise I’ll call the police, and Alex too.
” I fumbled for my mobile, meaning every word, but I’d hardly even punched in the code to open it up when it was snatched from my hand.
Fuck, but the man was fast. I’d glanced down for no more than a second or two and he was on me.
“I wouldn’t do that, Kitten, if I were you.
” He put it down on the table, almost daring me to make a grab for it.
My fingers itched to, but the truth was I was too damn scared; my brief show of courage had evaporated and my legs began to shake.
Kelvin pulled out the chair opposite the one he’d been sitting in and pushed me down into.
“Sit down before you collapse and hit your head. Wouldn’t want Alex accusing me of marking that pretty face of yours, would we? ”
Kelvin sat down opposite me and picked up his drink, looking at me over the rim of the mug, and all I could do was sit there as rigid as a plank of wood and stare back.
“We need to have a little chat, Kitten. Again.”
“Don’t call me that, my name’s Kit.” It was a feeble protest and one he took no notice of.
“You know, I thought I’d made it plain when we had our first get together over a friendly cup of tea. I really did. It was a bit of a joke about suggesting you fuck off to Canada. I wasn’t really expecting you to pack up and jump on the first flight out. Because I’m a reasonable man.”
“Reasonable? What’s reasonable about you breaking into my house and—”
“Oh, don’t look at me like that! You’ll be hurting my feelings, next, and that’s really not something you want to do.” He winked at me over the rim of the mug before he took a sip.
Maybe I could dart across the table; maybe upend the hot coffee all over him; maybe it’d give me the chance to make a run for it. The thought died before it’d been born.
“Really, really thought you’d have got the memo, as they say, about you waving goodbye to Alex.
But you didn’t, and that pisses me off because it’s meant I’ve had to waste time travelling down here to the arsehole of London to go over it all again.
Oh, Kitten. There was I thinking you were a clever boy. But maybe you’re really a bit thick.”
I gawped at him as he quirked his head to the side, his gaze roaming over me.
“You know,” he said, “I really can see the attraction. You are very definitely Alex’s type.
He likes ‘em blond and skinny, always has.” I hugged my arms across my middle, over the soaked through coat I was still wearing.
“You should take that off, you know, because otherwise you’ll catch your death.
Which might not be such a bad thing, because it’d solve a very tricky problem. ”
My heart rate went through the roof. I couldn’t do anything but stare at him, my mouth hanging open. Kelvin threw back his head and laughed.
“Oh, your face. It’s classic. I was only joking, Kitten. Honest to god and hope to die. On scouts’ honour.” He tilted his head and looked thoughtful. “Trouble is, I don’t believe in god, and I was never a scout. Got any biscuits?”
“No.” This time, unlike before, it was the truth. “Kelvin, please, what is it you want?”
“For god’s sake.” He threw his arms into the air, shaking his head as he looked at me, a mix of contempt, pity, and disbelief written across his face.
“You still don’t get it, do you? I want you gone.
” He said the words slowly, loudly, treating me like the idiot he thought I was.
“I want you Out. Of. Our. Lives. Because you really have thrown a spanner in the works.”
I jumped, Kelvin’s words hitting me like a brick around the head. “Why? What do you think I’m trying to do?”
“You tell me, Kitten. All I know is that since you wormed your way in, he’s lost his way as far as the business goes. He’s got all these ideas, suddenly, about going in a different direction or even cutting ties. With me. Me! If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t be where he is now. Probably be dead.”
I gasped and reared back. I wanted to run as much as I wanted to lean forward to find out more. Whatever Alex hadn’t told me, I knew in my gut those blanks were about to be filled and I hated myself for wanting them to be.
“Alex told me about the foster house, and Travis. How you intervened, before you both got out of there. He told me about working at Euphoria and taking the place over when the owner died. I can’t imagine how he got through it all—”
“No, you can’t. You can’t imagine any of it.” Kelvin’s gaze held mine, hard and steady. His lips twitched in a small smile. The bastard was laughing at me, mocking me. “We had a conversation, me and Alex, he said he’d told you about who he is, and what he is—”
“How do you mean, what?”
“He hasn’t told you anything, Kitten. I’d go as far as to say he’s told you fuck all.
Or fuck all of what really matters. About the man he is, about what’s made him who he is, about the business he’s in.
He’s up to his neck in it, just as I am, but now he seems to think he can swim through all the shit we’re wading around in and cleanse himself in pure crystal clear waters.
He really is smitten, which is something I never thought I’d see.
It’s caught me unawares if I’m honest, and I really don’t like surprises.
But yes, he’s smitten with his Kitten.” He barked out a hard laugh.
“It’s making him think he can make a choice, which comes down to me or you, but in the end he’s not going to have to. ”
“What do you mean?” I whispered.
“It’s simple. You’re going to make the choice for him because I’m going to tell you a story. A true story, one that fills in all those blanks Alex somehow, conveniently, chose not to fill in. And you’re going to listen, Kitten, you’re going to listen very, very carefully.”
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s for Alex to tell me what he wants or needs to, not you.” But I wanted to know, and shame filled me up when Kelvin grinned because he’s seen through me.
“How very noble, and complete shit.”
I began to scramble from the table. “No, I won’t—”
“Shut up and sit down.” His voice was hard and cold. My legs trembled. No longer able to support my weight, I collapsed back down into my seat.