Page 57 of The Redemption of Alex Cade
I needed to turn around and retrace my steps. I’d wait for Kelvin at his house, confront him there. Just the two of us, just him and me. No audience.
Instead, I crept closer, catching fragments of a conversation that now had nothing to do with me
…Movement of product… Eastern Europe and South East Asia… Significant profit margins…
I pushed open the door, and the conversation died.
Kelvin lounged in his usual chair behind the desk, his sleeves rolled up. His eyes met mine and he tilted his head,the way he always did, a hint of a smile on his lips as though he’d been half expecting me. Across from him, Aksoy’s bulk was squeezed into the chair I always sat in, one manicured hand curled around a whisky glass.
Aksoy’s lips curled into a greasy smile, the same one he’d bestowed on Kit weeks before, and just like then I wanted to smash it off of his face.
“Ah, Alex. Kelvin led me to believe you couldn’t make our meeting today. Yet here you are, and the timing’s perfect. Kelvin and I were just discussing the… expansion opportunities.”
“Get out.”
Aksoy’s eyebrows lifted. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” I stepped closer, my nose filling with the sickly sweet stench of his cologne. “Get the fuck out before I throw you out on your fat arse.”
His face darkened and his eyes darted towards the corner of the office. One of his goons, in sunglasses and an ill fitting suit, stood ready to pounce if needed.
Aksoy placed his glass on the desk and lumbered up out of the chair. Ignoring me, he turned to Kelvin. “You said this was handled.”
“Just a minor hiccup. Everything’ll be sorted.”
“No.” I shook my head. “It won’t be.”
Aksoy looked between us, his eyes narrowing to thin slits. “Ah… do I detect domestic troubles? A lovers’ tiff, perhaps?” His upper lip curled in a sneer. “Sort yourselves out before you contact me again. And Kelvin? Don’t call me until you’re sure you can deliver what you promise.”
The door slammed behind him, leaving Kelvin and me alone.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
ALEX
Kelvin picked up the whisky bottle that sat in the middle of the desk and poured himself a generous measure, knocking it back in one.
“You really pissed off ol’ Mehmet. The fat fucker’s not used to being spoken to like that, especially in front of one of his goons.” Kelvin got to his feet, rolled out his shoulders and sighed. “It now means I’ll have to waste time sweet talking him around, flattering his bloated ego. Thanks for that, babe.” He raised his empty glass in a mocking salute. “Why are you here? Have you finally come to your senses and ditched your little dream of living a dull, suburban life?”
“You know why I’m here. That nasty little stunt you pulled yesterday.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kelvin grinned, his eyes wide with fake innocence. At my sides, my hands bunched into fists.
“Don’t fuck around with me, Kelvin.”
“Awww, was poor Kitten frightened?” he sneered. “Didhe shit his pants? Tell you who was frightened, it was that nasty cat. The little fucker scratched?—”
I lunged at him, pulling my arm back, shooting it forward, all my weight behind it. My fist smashed into Kelvin’s face. Bone crunched, and blood spayed out, droplets splattering over my face before he fell to the floor.
Silence screamed in my ears as Kelvin stared up at me, eyes incredulous as blood flooded from his shattered nose. I was breathing hard, panting. My heart galloped in my chest.
“You leave him alone, Kel. You leave us both alone. It’s over. You and me, me and the business. It’s finished.” I swung around, wanting only to get out and never look back.
“Oh, babe. You still don’t get it, do you?” Kelvin said, his voice thick and nasally.
I stopped and turned, when I should have carried on walking.
Kelvin had got to his feet. Blood smeared across his face where he’d wiped it away with the back of his hand. Where there had been shock in his eyes, now there was only ice.
