Page 56 of Kade

Knock, knock.

One of Kai’s guards was at my window, and seeing he’d gotten my attention, he stepped back, folding his hands in front of him. I put my vehicle in park and opened the door. Broad. The guy had more muscle than I did, and he was an inch taller. Clad in a business suit, wearing leather gloves, and I could see bulges under his jacket. Those were guns. More than one.

“Turn your vehicle off, please, Mr. Kade.”

So fucking polite. I hesitated, though, meeting Kai Bennett’s dark gaze before swinging around to the front. The entry gate had closed now, and it was supposed to be reinforced so no one could break through it. They weren’t flimsy gates. My dad hadn’t been messing around, but the guards were another thing.

Kai Bennett watched me with an impassive curiosity as his eyebrows furrowed just slightly. He didn’t make a move. He didn’t look alarmed either, just the slightest bit impatient as he continued to wait for me. As I reached over to turn the engine off, I heard doors opening.

Men got out of the other SUVs, all wearing the same uniform. Business suits. Tall. Broad. Fit. And with bulges under their jackets from their guns. But no one moved closer. Some fanned out, spreading through the parking lot, walking in the opposite direction.

“Let’s go.” The first guard moved to grab my arm.

“I wouldn’t, Thomas.”

We both froze, hearing Kai Bennett speak. His eyes were on his guard’s hand, which was two inches from making contact. His voice was a warning, but not an urgent one. It was as if he were here to cross an item off his to-do list.

“He’s a professional athlete, and if my research is correct, skilled enough with fighting that you’d be surprised at his reaction. I never told you to strong-arm him, so don’t.” His gaze shifted to me. “Kade, I’m here as a respectful formality.” Hethought a moment. “That’s the best way I can put it. I mean you no harm, nor your daughter, which is why we waited to move in until she was in the clear. I hope you take that into consideration with the decision that’s weighing on you right now.”

I grunted, not liking this fucker. “What decision is that?”

“Whether to disarm my man, jump into your vehicle, and take your chances with my men out there or give in and have this meeting with me. You’re weighing the options because you know who I am. You know what I do. You know there’s just as much of a chance of you walking away from here alive as having a bullet lodged in your brain.” He gave a small nod. “Like I said, I am here as a respectful formality. Nothing else. I wish to have a conversation, to inform you of a few misconceptions you have about me, and then we’ll be on our way. I’m hoping that’ll be the end of this, but I suppose that depends on what you decide to do in the next few moments. So, Kade. What will we be doing today?”

I really, really did not like this guy. Way too smart. Way too smooth. Way too fucking arrogant. I ground my teeth against each other because he also could back everything up, and we both knew that.

I reached in and pulled out the keys.

“Hand them to Thomas, please.”

I’d started toward him but paused at his order. I positively loathed this guy. I handed them off.

As soon as Thomas had the keys, he moved behind me, shutting my door and nudging me forward. “Just walk to him.”

I held my hands out. “I have no weapons on me.”

Kai Bennett lifted his chin. “We know.”

I frowned at that, because how? Once I was closer, he stepped away from his vehicle and motioned with his head. “Let’s walk around the parking lot. I’ve been flying a lot lately and could stretch my legs.”

There was nothing about this guy that would’ve prepared me to meet him. This was the reason my father killed himself? The threat of this guy coming after us? No matter what the books said, I supposed I could see it. I’d known dangerous men in my life. Rapists. Murderers. None of them could touch this guy. It was his intelligence. There was a cold aura to him, a way of thinking that had made him a mastermind. That’s what made him more lethal than the other bad men I’d known—Budd Broudou, Park Sebastian, Jared Caldron. All of them were criminals, and all of them were imprisoned because of me.

Those guys were nothing compared to this guy.

“Come. Let’s walk.” He started off, watching until I fell in step, a few yards separating us. He continued to study me until there was a little distance between us and his guards, enough space to give us a modicum of privacy.

“You killed my father and you feel safe enough to walk with me?” I exhaled sharply. “I don’t know if that makes you foolish or just arrogant.”

His gaze never left me, and his mouth turned down at my words. “The reason I’m here… Your private investigator was the first to catch my attention, her digging into me. She’s not as discreet as she thinks she is, but she wouldn’t have been a problem. We gave her enough information to bait her. She’ll find out soon that the trail we left for her leads to a dead end. She’s gotten information on me. I’ll give her that, but not enough that she feels confident. When you meet with her, her file will be a lot thinner than you or she will want.”

Okay. That was annoying. “You killed my father. You don’t think I’m going to send a PI after you? You’re my enemy. I need to find out everything I can about you.” I stopped to face him. Enough with the walking bullshit. We weren’t friends out for a stroll.

He faced me, regarding me coolly. “That’s the second time you’ve brought up your father’s death. What would lead you to the idea that I killed your father?”

I was going to kill this guy. One day, somehow I would. “Other than the fact that he told me you were coming after him? My father is my source, you smug prick. Right before he shot himself.”

There was no reaction in his gaze. Nothing. Not even a blink. “Until six days ago, I had no idea who James Kade was. So no, Mason Kade, I am not the reason your father shot himself.”

That statement hit me in the sternum. That didn’t make sense.

---