Page 84 of King of Pain

“That guy that hurt Kate in high school…”

“She told you about that?” he asks. “She tell you what happened?”

“Yes. She did.”

“Is it as bad as I always thought?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty bad.”

His fists clench around the rag he’s holding. “Damn it.”

Again, I don’t want Mark to think I’m crazy. “You got an address for this guy? I’d like to chat with him.”

Mark clears his throat. “I do, but he’s going to be tough to talk to.”

I cock my head. “Why’s that?”

“He resides in a cemetery.”

I don’t ask and Mark doesn’t say, but something tells me Mark might have helped put the guy there. And if that’s the case, we’ve got even more in common than I thought. “Good to know.”

Kate comes over, beaming at us. “I got another internship!”

“That’s great, sweetheart,” I smile back, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. I give her a quick kiss on the forehead before I let her go again so she can greet Mark.

I give them a minute before I ask the question. “So where are we taking Alice? Back to New York?”

She nips at a lip, a sure sign she’s not sure of my reaction. “Not exactly.”

“Where?”

“It’s in Vegas.”

I frown, but don’t answer in front of Mark. It’s the only place I don’t think I want to go. But I’ll do anything for Kate.

And she’s got it in her head that she shouldn’t separate me from family. I get what she’s saying, but my priorities are right in line. Kate first. Arabella and Roman second. Kincaid Enterprises… never again.

Which becomes even more obvious when my phone rings. Arabella’s name pops up. “Can you two give me a second? It’s my sister.”

“Of course,” Kate nods and smiles. “Tell Arabella I said hello.”

Mark smiles too. With a quick nod of thanks to them both, I turn to answer the phone. “Hey, bug. Everything all right?”

“Not really,” she huffs. “Mason just called. He says I have to come to Vegas for the rest of the summer.”

Mason.

I know that he’s Ari’s benefactor, but if he thinks he’s going to mess with her life, he’s got another thing coming.

Me and him. We’ll have to go some rounds.

“Why is that?”

Arabella is quiet for a moment. “I didn’t want to rain on your news about Kate, but I’ve been seeing this guy…”

My hackles go up. “Yeah?”

“And Mason says that I’m going to get some shares and then Preston proposed and now I’m all confused…”

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