Page 23 of Our Blood, Our Pain

I nod and walk ahead of them to Lev’s car, getting in to wait for them to follow. As I wait, I send a quick text to Kai.

Why didn’t you tell me Aaron came on to you last night?

The reply is almost immediate.

Kai

Because it wasn’t a big deal. It was only to make Lev jealous. No harm done.

That’s not the point. He could’ve put you in Lev’s firing line.

Kai

You need to chill. Nothing bad happened.

Don't tell me to chill, Kai. This is serious.

Kai

Whatever.

Whatever?! What the fuck kind of response is that? I’m fired up now. Texting ‘whatever’ is a written eye-roll intended to annoy its recipient to explosive levels. Mission accomplished. I swear I will give him a lesson in taming his belligerent ways. Kai has become more snarky with me over the past few weeks. How I can enjoy that trait and hate it just as much is beyond my understanding.

As Lev and Aaron get into the car, I drive on autopilot, all sounds drifting off into the distance while my thoughts are firmly filtering all things Kai, no different from every other day that has passed since I brought him here. As I look in the rearview mirror and watch Aaron in the backseat, I notice how good-looking he is when he’s not grinning like the Joker. Christ. What if Kai wanted Aaron? What if Lev had hurt him? How the fuck would I explain all this to Jenny?

I try to convince myself that I’m more concerned about Lev hurting Kai than being jealous that Kai would actually want Aaron. It’s so stupid. Kai is an adult, and he can fuck who he wants. I know that. But just the vision in my head of that happening with anyone makes me want to smash the window screen with my fists. Screw it, I won’t allow him to fuck anyone.

He’s not yours, Jules. He’s family. But not in blood. Shut the fuck up, Jules.

15

KAI

Jules is becoming suffocating, and not in a good way. I’d prefer to be suffocated by him with his weight on top of me as he fucks me senseless. Unfortunately, this suffocation is like having an overbearing parent. Why can't he see me as an adult? I’ve been here for weeks now, I've followed the rules, the brothers are giving me more responsibility, and I don’t question anything, and still, he gives me shit like those text messages. I would think he was jealous if it wasn't for the patronizing undertone that I could’ve put myself in harm's way. I can handle myself. I’m tired of him micromanaging me like he doesn't trust me. I was beyond relieved to find out I was working with Si today, as I needed the space before I let out all my frustrations onto Jules. How can someone who drives you completely mad be the one person you want so badly?

“Can you stop bouncing your knee like that? It’s annoying as fuck,” Simon says from the seat next to me. I immediately stop the movement, unaware I was doing it in the first place. It’s Jules’s fault.

“Sorry,” I mutter, and I have to physically restrain myself from starting to bounce my leg again. This place is depressing. We’re sitting in a small office at the docks, waiting for Carlos to arrive to make payment, and I have to say I’m disappointed. Carlos is so suave that I expected meetings like this would be in a mansion adorned with chandeliers and the finest furniture. I suppose that's what you get when you compare this life to a movie. Not as glamorous as you’d think.

“The fucker is late,” Si says as he checks his phone.

“Is he always late?”

“No, only when it’s me. I swear the dick does it to piss me off.”

“Of course I do, it’s the only highlight of my day,” Carlos says, and I jump in my seat, not expecting his voice. How the hell did he creep in here so quietly? I turn to look at him over my shoulder as he gracefully glides into this shithole of an office, immediately making it look regal. He’s incredibly attractive in an elegant way, with the manner he dresses in. His shirt and pants look like they have been pressed to within an inch of their life and wouldn’t dare crease. He’s tall and lithe with a beautiful olive tone to his skin that plays peek-a-boo through his shirt that’s unbuttoned down to his pecs. He doesn’t seem to notice me though, because those intense pools of brown eyes are firmly on Simon.

As Carlos takes his seat behind the desk, a guard I don’t know stands behind us near the door, and my heart starts to beat a little faster at the unknown. This is the first time I’ve been here, and the tension is so oppressive you would think we were being buried alive.

“Let’s just get this over with. We have shit to do,” Simon says.

“And who is this?” Carlos asks, nudging his head toward me.

“Kai. A new guard,” Si says.

“Hmm, very nice. Are you enjoying your new job, handsome?” Carlos says, and I stiffen at the sexual tone. With the way he’s watching Simon, I would say it’s intentional. It can’t be too obvious to Simon, as he easily takes the bait.

“You keep your fucking hands off. Now, let’s get down to business.”

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