Page 15 of Deny Me
“Saint, would you—”
King cut off his boss with a raised hand. “It’s fine, Dain.” Falling back on his training, his body automatically assumed parade rest, conveying ease while bracing for whatever was coming.
Ben scanned him, eyes narrowed, lips going tight. King tried not to remember the warm look the man used to give him, the times he’d called Kingsonwith a hand on his shoulder, a strong grip holding him steady. His own father had been cold, his family more a collection of individuals all going their separate ways than a loving home. Charlotte’s parents had shown him what a true family could be.
When Ben spoke, King steeled himself. “I am willing to put my daughter’s life in Mr. Brannan’s and JCL’s hands, but not yours. I want you out. Now.”
King felt the shock of pain, absorbed the blow, but didn’t let a flicker of reaction color his response. “I understand.”
“I don’t.” Dain angled his body toward Ben, his biceps bulging as he folded his arms across his chest. “And until I do, I refuse to operate without a valuable member of my team. I can talk to headquarters, have them send someone else if you want me to, but they’d already be behind. Is that what you’re requesting?”
Ben’s jaw flexed. King remembered that too, how he clenched his teeth when he got angry.
Dain glanced between them. “Care to explain?”
When the moment stretched out, threatening to snap, King decided to step up. “Charlotte and I dated while I was in college.”
Ben snorted his opinion of that. Because King made it sound too simple?Datingwas certainly too basic a word to describe what he and Charlotte had been together, but he couldn’t speak the truth here, now, in front of this man he’d once admired so much. Charlotte had been much more than his girlfriend. She’d been his world. His everything.
And his family had ruined that, just as they had everything else in his life until he’d finally broken free.
“How long were you together?” Dain asked.
“Four years, though our families have known each other since we were children.” The moment Charlotte turned eighteen, he’d put a ring on her finger. The years they’d been together, she’d been the balm to his soul. King had been raised by nannies and tutors for the most part, his life separate from his parents. When he’d hit puberty and began to develop his own opinions, his own wants and needs, things at home had gone from neutral to strained, but they’d deteriorated rapidly after high school as his parents pushed him to fulfill their plans for their offspring, disregarding his own.
As their only child, King becoming a cop had been laughable to them. A degree in criminal justice had been the first thing to go. King had compromised by getting his bachelors in political science. And yes, he’d known his parents thought that meant he would go into a government position of some sort, become a politician, possibly a law degree, but after four miserable years of fighting what he wanted, he’d known he couldn’t sacrifice his life for their desires.
“You know who my family is, Dain.” King fought to keep his voice emotionless, not wanting to give Charlotte’s father any more ammunition than he already had. “When I announced that I had been accepted to the police academy, they disowned me. I asked Charlotte to come with me when I left.” His fingers twisted together behind him. “She was too young—I knew it, but that didn’t stop me from hoping. Charlotte was afraid of losing her family if she chose me, and ultimately she decided to stay with them.”
And ripped his heart out. He’d never been the same—not that Ben or anyone else needed to know that.
“She’s built a good life, a career; she has Wes,” Ben said coolly. “She doesn’t need you here messing all that up.”
King doubted he had that kind of pull on Charlotte any longer. Maybe he never had, given the relationship that seemed to exist between the woman he’d loved and his first cousin.
“Forgive me, Mr. Alexander,” Dain said, “but that was a decade ago. Why would King’s presence here harm Charlotte? She made the decision, correct?”
Ben nodded reluctantly.
“Was there something more I’m not aware of that makes this any different than a thousand other couples who part ways?” Dain asked, spreading his hands wide. “I’m not trying to make light of what happened, but Charlotte has obviously moved on.”
Dain’s words stabbed King in the gut. The pain was so unexpected he flinched. Thank God no one was looking his way.
“Your daughter is in an extremely dangerous situation. We need every advantage we can get to keep her safe. King might be the biggest one we have—he has the most experience with your social set, he has more official contacts than anyone at JCL to help keep us in the know with the police, and most importantly he knows your daughter’s personality. That is invaluable information for my team. We function best together, and taking King out leaves a hole that ensures we are less prepared to keep your daughter safe.
“At the same time,” Dain continued, “if King being here will keep you from working with us, trusting us, then we won’t be effective either. Like I said, I can get another team in here, but they won’t have the advantages King gives us, and they won’t be up to speed.” Dain narrowed his gaze on Ben. “The choice is up to you, but I’d strongly suggest you consider the options before you decide on a path forward.”
King waited, watching that muscle in Ben’s cheek flex, holding the man’s stare when their eyes met. Ben hadn’t aged much, but the additional lines along his forehead and eyes and mouth made King wonder if this argument wasn’t all about him. Certainly the anger radiating from every person in the household but Charlotte felt somehow…extra. Over the top. Had something happened in the intervening years that had twisted the animosity toward him, made it more than a breakup between two young adults?
If that was the case, Wes wouldn’t know, or his cousin wouldn’t have asked for his help.
Whatever had happened wasn’t his business either. Not anymore. He had a job to do; that was the only reason he was here.
It didn’t stop him from wondering. Worrying. As if that would do any good in retrospect.
Finally a heavy sigh left Ben, his hand coming up to rub at the lines along his forehead. “I’ll do whatever I have to, to keep Charlotte safe.” He turned to Dain. “I’ll bow to your judgment”—his voice hardened—“but I don’t want him near my daughter. Keep him in the background, out of sight.”
Dain’s eyes met King’s, and he knew his boss well enough after years of working together to know when Dain was exasperated. But they’d all worked with difficult clients before. King tried to tell himself this was no different. He’d simply never had it directed solely at him before.
