Chapter 16 #3
“No, I don’t think you do.”
Kingston stood and leaned over my desk. I didn’t bother trying to stop him as he maneuvered my trackpad, pulling the application window into a full screen. “Wow, Christian. You’ve taken to stalking her now?”
“I’m watching her. Protecting her. There’s a difference.” Who the hell was I protecting her from? The troll on the internet or from a true dangerous predator?
My body tensed, every muscle aching almost instantly. He was one of the few people who I allowed to get under my skin.
“Is that what you’re telling yourself these days?” He pulled back, laughing as he did.
“You’re annoying, Kingston. Why don’t you worry about your love life instead of mine.”
“Is that what you’re calling this toxic representation of passion now? Love? At least I admit to having a healthy appetite of sadism.”
I kept my eyes on him, refusing to blink. Why he was dead intent on getting on my nerves today I didn’t know, but he’d picked the wrong day to do so.
With my lack of patience, the rearrangement for the meeting would continue grating my nerves.
“I need to know everything there is to learn about Carrington Jacobs. Where he lives, where he went to school. Who he’s been out with and who his friends are. Someone is playing us for a fool and I don’t like it.”
“What if it’s this woman you’re so enamored with?”
“I don’t know.”
“An honest answer. Shocking.”
Why was I feeling so damn uncomfortable? “She’s different.”
Kingston laughed. “You’re acting more like our father every day. I hope you remember what it cost him when we were children. If you really do like this woman then do her a favor and walk away. You’re not equipped to handle a relationship.”
Walk away. Maybe he was right.
I would never forget who Markham Tempest was and who he’d been for the first thirty years of his life.
A walking, talking monster, or at least that’s the way he’d represented himself to all those opposing the crime syndicate he’d worked for.
Where he’d earned his money to start the family business.
Where he’d honed his skills in becoming a brutal man, a killer by night and a Fortune 500 millionaire by day.
There were those who said I was just like him in that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Perhaps they were right. I was certainly as vicious in business and with all those opposing me. But in my mind, I was nothing like the man.
Only I was.
“Don’t do that, Kingston. That was…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.
“The greatest tragedy of our lives? Including our father. He loved her.”
“Bullshit.”
“Yes, he did,” my brother insisted. “But when he figured out how much, it was already too late. Isn’t that what you told me when I started asking questions about her?
Just be careful. I know you better than you think I do and I can tell you really like this woman.
I’ll repeat myself. If you do, my advice is to let her go before it’s too late. ”
I closed my eyes, trying not to remember the last time I’d seen our mother alive. “I don’t need your damn advice.”
My brother had a conscience. I did not.
As expected, tension rolled between us.
“Have it your way. I heard you made a purchase yesterday.” He eyed me suspiciously.
“I make them all the time.”
Kingston was certainly enjoying himself in making fun of me today. “Yes, well, it seems out of character for you. Or maybe I should say the man I knew a couple months ago.”
“Perhaps you don’t know me, brother. Just get done what I asked. The timing is too suspicious,” I told him.
“Agreed, but hear me. As with every man,” my brother said as he headed to the door, “there’s always a weakness.
Drugs. Alcohol. Gambling. Power. Even women.
Some of the most powerful men and empires had fallen under the spell of a beautiful, cunning woman.
Perhaps that’s something you should keep in mind. ”
His laughter as he left my office brought a sharp intake of breath. Yes, he was correct in his analysis, but had never understood what made me tick.
Few people did.
Which was another reason I enjoyed spending time with the beautiful Penelope. She understood more about me than I cared to admit.
With my brother having graced me with leaving, I returned to work.
Covington was playing hardball. I could feel it.
The calm before the storm. Only I had to wonder if their tactics had shifted from their normally self-righteous attitude in declaring my company merciless and immoral to something more along the lines of how I handled the competition.
If the latter was the case, they’d soon learn a lesson in how easily I could mirror my father’s response.
With rage running deep within my veins, the financial numbers remained blurry. I sat back, contemplating leaving the office. Instead, the pull to the camera was as strong as my yearning had become.
I returned to the application, enjoying the view far more than I should. At least I could admit to myself one very important detail.
There was no chance I could walk away.
“I’m watching you.”