Page 24 of Revenge

Spoiler alert; I saw straight through his façade. Kai Kinlan was a tiger waiting to pounce. His airs and graces were purposefully put in place for Suki’s benefit.

He was positioned at the head of the table with my mother seated beside him like the pawn she was. There was an extra place for dinner opposite her, so I moved towards it. An unpleasant shudder ran through me.

“Ava. We usually dress up for dinner,” Suki scolded gently, shaking her napkin before placing it on her lap. I lifted my eyes from the silverware placed so properly on the table, spearing her with an annoyed look.

“Really, why? What’sthatabout?”

“It’s civilised.” Civilised my arse, there wasnothingcivilised about my being there.

“Sorry, I didn’t get the memo,” I replied moodily, my focus moving to search Kai’s face. He sighed as if he was bored and I followed his gaze as he turned and glanced towards the other side of the room. Cillian Connors was standing by the window with his arms folded. They shared a look, and I watched as the killer nodded once, grassing me up as hehadtold me about the formal bullshit for dinner.

No allegiance there then considering you’re ‘doing’ my mother?

As I got to the table, Kai lazily uncurled himself from his seat and pulled out a chair for me. It was odd as I had never seen him act gentleman-like before. It was clearly for my mother’s benefit, and I wrinkled my nose in distaste as she beamed across at him. Frustration bubbled in my chest.

Kai jerked his head towards the seat, gesturing me to sit. I felt like the family dog.

He looked drop-dead gorgeous. His face chiselled purposefully to knock the female population off kilter. Yep, my annoying stepbrother had the kind of sex appeal that made your hormones fist pump the sky and chantbreed! I still carried that mortifying memory of waiting for him in his bed on my sixteenth birthday and how he’d rebuffed my pathetic attempt at seduction.

Once we had all sat down, I looked between them before saying, “Well, this is all very posh. Almost like we’re part of the royal family.” I was aware that I was goading Kai but I didn’t care. He had crossed the line by drugging me. I mean, who did that sort of thing? Oh yes, crime bosses.

Suki glanced at Kai who said nothing. Was she asking for his permission to speak? The thought gave me a shudder of impatience. She used to do that with Gerard but with good reason I supposed.

Mum took my words in the wrong direction, “Wearea family, Ava.”

Her reply was like fingernails down a blackboard.

“That’s bullshit,” I snarled, shooting her a look. Something was going on, there were holes the size of Buckingham Palace in my mother’s half-baked story. Kai doesn’t care about us, heneedsus, but for what reason?

“Watch your mouth,” Kai growled, his tone of voice betraying his anger. He gave me an unhinged look. Please save me from mentally unstable men.

Pursing my lips, I shuffled my legs further under the table as a door opened, and a lady dressed in black waddled over to serve what appeared to be soup. I realised that I would have to play nice, for now. I was also starving.

“You must be hungry, Ava?”

“Famished,” I agreed, answering him without sass.

“We have soup to start and then steak. How do you like it cooked?”

“Medium please.” I had to bite my lip. What if I didn’t like steak? What then? He probably had another dish all prepared just in case. The man had a backup plan foreverything; just like his old man.

“I trust you're happy with your room?” Kai said, his voice much calmer that time.

I snorted, “You mean my prison cell?” The serving tray held by a member of the kitchen staff rattled, no doubt she wasn’t used to someone backchatting her boss.

And there ended the small talk.

“You have never been near a prison cell if the luxury upstairs is your comparison. But if you wish to see it that way, that’s your choice, Ava.”

There was a beat of silence and I shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. The movement made my injury twinge.

“How’s your side? Dr Farmer confirmed that it’s nothing to worry about, just a scratch?” Kai said with a flick of his head.

“It’smorethan a scratch, but I’ll live, no thanks to you.” I inwardly cringed, Kai always made me react like a child around him. Where was the confident, sophisticated Ava I had been trying to mould myself into over the last two years?

“You were the one holding the knife,” he said thickly with a tolerant look.

“That’s debatable,” I huffed.

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