Chapter 7 What Are Your Plans
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” West asked when they were in the elevator.
“What?” The last thing he wanted was another lecture.
As if it wasn’t bad enough that West was back to treating him like a child, Kenzie had to witness it.
“You’re flirting with her,” Braylon said. “We could see it. Defending her too.”
“She’s a victim in this also,” he argued.
“Dude,” Braylon said. “She was drunk and you were drugged. You didn’t have a choice over your actions, she did.”
His hands itched to shove his brother, but if he lost his cool it’d only make matters worse.
“Neither of us asked for this. You saw the video. I walked into the place and made contact first.”
He still didn’t know what drew him in or made him look for her and point. Or the fact she’d replied it’d taken him long enough.
The more they watched, the more he realized that Dotie had actually pushed them to get married. Probably wanted the damn money for the ceremony since Bethany and Joshua took off.
Did the two of them look as if they’d known each other? Yeah, surprisingly it had.
There was a natural ease between them. Being close, touching, even kissing. It sucked that he couldn’t remember a second of it.
“We saw it,” West said. “And that you were both egged on. It will get straightened out and you can both get on with your lives.”
“Who else knows other than you two and Rowan?”
“Lily and Abby know,” Braylon said. “We had to tell our wives something. I’m sure Rowan told Saylor.”
“As long as Mom doesn’t find out,” he said.
“Mom always finds everything out eventually,” Braylon said. “You know that. What are your plans with Kenzie?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re not letting her go, are you?” Braylon asked.
“I can’t walk away. We have to get this resolved.”
“Did you find out if she was even single before this happened?” West asked.
Shit. It’d never come up. Wouldn’t it have if she were in another relationship?
He’d like to think she would have said that.
“I didn’t ask, but I’m positive she is. All she does is work and go to school. She’s had a hard life. I told you that. Her parents own a small farm she worked on most of her life. Her mother works at the church they belong to.”
He’d heard the fear in Kenzie’s voice when she talked about how religious her parents were and that it’d been a disagreement in the family that Kenzie didn’t share those same deep-rooted values.
But it appeared she was close to her parents. Or close enough.
Probably had more to do with respect.
He wasn’t the only one who was going to have to deal with this fallout, but he’d be damned if he’d leave her hanging by one thread ready to fall with no one to catch her.
If his mother knew the situation, she’d tell him to get his head out of his ass and be supportive of her as she’d been to him.
They stepped off the elevator and headed down the hallway toward the offices. As always, he trailed behind his brothers, all of them keeping to the shadows, just like they all preferred when West made appearances like this.
His brother had never been one to make his presence known and he’d sure the hell not want to do it in this situation.
The fact West stopped everything and flew here when he could have sent Braylon alone meant the world.
Lecture or not, he had that family support that few got.
Maybe not even Kenzie, and that was eating him up inside. Especially when she said she was going to tell her parents what was going on, that there was no way she could hide it and it wasn’t her nature to do that.
“Mormon?” Braylon asked.
“No. Catholic. So already standing out even more in Utah.”
Braylon nodded his head. “She didn’t appear to have a problem speaking up.”
“Comes with the career she wants. She’s worried how this is going to affect her. I can’t help but feel bad about that.”
“We’ll take care of her the same as we are you,” West said.
He knew West would, but explaining that to Kenzie didn’t mean she’d believe it.
“Just don’t insult her again. She’s a little testy about things.”
Her upbringing compared with his. Or more like where they were in their lives now.
They got to the conference room and went in. Rob was there, another guy he didn’t know and two security personnel he’d met.
“So glad you could meet with us,” Rob said, moving forward to shake hands. “This is Stan Cooke, Vice President of Customer Relations. He’s been apprised of the situation.”
Stan Cooke stood and shook everyone’s hands. “We are extremely appalled at what happened to you during your stay. Rest assured we are doing everything to find who is responsible.”
“What have you discovered so far?” West asked.
“The call made to the desk for towels came from within the hotel. As you’ve stated, it couldn’t have been Nelson since he was at another location.”
They’d kept the part out that he married a stranger. No reason for anyone to know those details here. He could have stopped at that chapel for any number of reasons.
“Do you have any leads?” Braylon asked. “We should have toxicology back tomorrow. If it’s positive, he had to have been given it somehow. Most likely case is his drink.”
Rob looked at Stan. “We called the server four times to come in and she’s not replying.”
“Interesting,” he said. “Sounds guilty to me.”
Braylon put his hand out. “If she doesn’t come in to answer some questions, we might have to get the police involved.”
“Everyone would like to avoid that,” Stan said. “We’ve got security personnel dispatched to her current residence. If she’s involved in this, she most likely knows we are aware.”
“We shouldn’t share this,” Rob said. “But we will and trust that you’ll keep this information to yourselves.”
They all nodded. “Go on,” West said.
“Two other guests were also robbed last night. Both had been in their rooms while it happened, passed out, and woke up to the place trashed. Both had said they don’t remember drinking enough for them not to remember anything.”
Nelson snorted. “Were they in the casino also?”
“Yes,” Rob said. “Without alarming other guests, we’ve been unable to find out if there are more. Some might not come forward.”
“Was it the same situation as me? Someone requested towels?”
Rob and Stan looked at each other and he got the answer he needed. “We are still looking into all the facts.”
“This wasn’t a one-person job,” Nelson said. “They had to know they’d be caught.”
“We will catch them,” Stan said. “You’ve got my word. We will cover the cost of your remaining stay for the inconvenience. For the damages and your loss also.”
He wanted to shove it back to them, but Braylon reached for the check to pick it up. It was the right thing to do.
Taking it would assure they wouldn’t go for more. That wasn’t their way.
He wanted this all behind him so he could move on.
He just wasn’t so sure he was ready to move on from Kenzie.