Page 65 of Mr. Kelly

"Remember when I went to Dallas a couple of years ago because someone named Bobbi was interfering in my business."

"Yes. You said Bobbi was a victim of identity theft."

"Yeah, I got there ready to kill her, but I was greeted by this petite black woman with wild curls. She looked me in the eyes and told me that if I fucked with her big sister, I'd wish I was never born." He chuckles to himself. "Crazy recognizes crazy. We fought, fucked each other’s bruised bodies, and then called a truce."

"Truce? The sex was that good?"

"It was good, but I'm not an idiot. She introduced me to Bobbi, and she seemed so innocent that she's almost afraid of her own shadow. Kinnie’s boss/mentor Emerik used his contacts, and we narrowed it down to the son of one of dad's old enemies. In his head, we were nemesis. I killed him quickly, so he'd know that this wasn't some comic book."

"If Kinnie is crazy, how is she a good fit for this job?"

Andrea snaps since he realizes that he's veered off subject.

"Kinnie has a special hate for men of power who mistreat women. Luci doesn't seem like she feels anymore. She'll get in and out, but Kinnie will make it personal. Emerik is a pathologist and has taught her the art of perfect murder. Her husband is a hacker. Newlyweds. He pulls medical records, and she uses them to find the best way to kill him. Not only will he die, but she'll make sure he knows why. And the world also happens to find out who he was before he died, thanks to Huxley."

"Huxley?" I ask.

"The hacker husband."

Making my decision for me, Andrea makes a video call.

A very pretty woman answers the phone. Curly hair, big brown eyes, long lashes, and brown skin…in a hospital bed?

"Oh, the sexy boss is in a tux. What's the occasion?"

A blond man moves his head in view to see who she's talking to on the phone.

"Who in the hell are you?" He speaks like a man ready to fight for his woman.

"Relax, baby. Andrea is the head of the Tesio family. You don't want those problems."

"Andrea Tesio, 41, leader of Labrama and surrounding cities…"

"Hi, Kinnie," Andrea says, ignoring his portfolio being read off by Kinnie’s husband. I'm impressed he got his information so quickly. "Tell your husband not to hack me unless he wants me to comehackhim."

Kinnie pouts prettily. “Don’t threaten my future baby daddy.” She looks to her left. “Knock it off, Hux. We had one fun weekend at least a year before I met you and haven’t spoken since. This isn’t a booty call.” Her eyes find us again. “This is business.” Kinnie’s eyes float over to me. “You must be Mr. Kelly. Hey, sexy bestie.”

I chuckle because I can see her crazy, but it’s somehow cute. Huxley is back in the camera with his head leaning on his wife’s.

“Don’t you dare,” I start, but he smiles.

“Too late. Theodore Kelly. Congratulations on your nuptials.”

I simply shake my head because I’m impressed, but I hate how everyone is ignoring the obvious.

“Why are you in a hospital bed, Kinnie?”

She rolls her eyes like it’s not a big deal. “I’m almost as good as new. Emerik stabbed me.”

Kinnie says it so nonchalantly that I let out a bark of laughter. “I’m sorry. It’s not funny. I'm just surprised that you said it so calmly.”

“You,” another man’s voice from off camera says, “killed my brother.”

She waves him off. “Let’s not split hairs right now, Emerik. Besides, I'm not speaking to you until I can speak to my sister.”

“A sibling for a sibling.” He calls her “doll” in Croatian before I hear a door close.

“Wait, the sister you were about to kill me over is your boss’s hostage?” Andrea probes.

---