Chapter One
Not edited or proofread.
Kyle
My phone went off on the counter beside me as I worked on making a sandwich. Novella had taken her lunch—fucking ramen noodles—into the living room so she could continue watching her movie while Ashton, her and Axel’s son, continued napping. I didn’t understand how she ate junk all the time, nor did I understand why Axel allowed her to, but whatever. She was happy, so I just let it be.
I’d learned there were just some battles I wouldn’t win when it came to my little sister, especially since she’d just pout, and then Axel would find out, and then he’d try to reprimand me, which usually did nothing but irritate the fuck out of me.
He’d hired me to be her bodyguard and to take care of her when he was busy. In my opinion, taking care of her meant making sure she ate right, but what the fuck did I know, I guessed. But just because my little sister wanted to put prepackaged garbage into her body didn’t mean I would. Eating garbage wouldn’t help me keep her safe.
Grabbing my phone, I scanned my eyes over Axel’s message.
Axel: Meeting in my office. Now.
I rolled my eyes and set my phone back down. He could wait a damn minute. I needed lunch, or my stomach was going to start eating my other organs.
After finishing making my sandwich, I put everything back where it went, then grabbed my sandwich and pocketed my phone. I checked in Novella on my way to Axel’s office. She was sitting cross legged on the couch, her ramen finished. A blanket was wrapped around her shoulders, and she was half-asleep.
Axel and Harlan were waiting in Axel’s office for me, and Axel glowered as I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me.
“Do you intentionally try pissing me off?” Axel growled.
“Needed lunch,” I told him. “I was in the middle of making this,” I held up my sandwich, “when you texted.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. I took a seat in the chair beside Harlan. Harlan was head of security and one of Axel’s best friends, as well as Axel’s third-in-command. He was a fucking technology genius, and there wasn’t a system he couldn’t hack his way into.
Too bad his brains were wasted with the dumb shit that fell from his mouth. Not much ever affected me—the joys of being a psychopath—but Harlan fucking June had a way of pushing my buttons just right.
Didn’t know if I wanted to break his fucking neck or fuck his throat half the damn time. I wouldn’t do either—the first out of respect for Novella and the second because I wouldn’t touch Harlan with a goddamn ten foot pole—but damn did I want to.
Maybe fuck his throat and then break his neck. At least get something useful out of his annoying ass first.
Once Axel seemed to have his annoyance back under wraps, he grabbed a manila folder and shoved it my way. I grabbed it with my free hand as I took a bite, setting it on my lap to open it up. “This came through my email this morning with an encrypted document, demanding I pay them, or they’ll take my wife and son from me. They included their banking details.”
I continued eating my sandwich as I scanned the document. When I flipped that over, I growled at the sight of my little sister sitting in the backyard on a blanket, urging Ashton to crawl from Axel to her. This had happened just three days ago on one of Axel’s rare days he had off. I’d been watching discreetly from inside the house, wanting her to have that time with her family without my overbearing presence.
“Who the fuck is demanding this and threatening her?” I growled, closing the file folder and tossing it back onto his desk. I polished my sandwich off and wiped my hands on my worn jeans.
“That’s what you and Harlan will be finding out,” Axel stated.
I scowled, my lip curling as I eyed Harlan in distaste. “Yeah, fuck that,” I growled. Harlan rolled his eyes. I looked back at Axel. “I work alone. And even if I did work with a partner, it would not be him.”
Axel ignored me. “You work with a partner now.”
I scoffed. “Then give me Griffin.”
Axel sighed like he was fed up with me. To be honest, he probably was. But I didn’t give a fuck. I couldn’t work with Harlan. That was a damn disaster just waiting to happen. I could barely stand to be in the same space as him. Working with him? That was laughable—if I’d found any of this funny, that was.
“Suck it up,” Axel snapped at me, “and get the fuck over yourself.” He jabbed his finger into his desk. “You work for me now, Kyle. You work for me to protect your sister. When I give the goddamn order to do something for her safety and the safety of my son, you’ll goddamn do it, and you’ll say yes fucking sir as you do, got me?”
I stared at him, not a thing showing on my face. He met my gaze evenly. Not many men could, but Axel was only afraid of two things in this life—losing his wife and losing his son.
“If you were any other man, Legend, I’d rip your fucking tongue out,” I warned him, my voice flat and emotionless. I stood to my feet and walked to the door, done with this conversation.
“Goddamn him,” Axel growled, but I ignored him.
I was heading to the front door for a smoke when Harlan gripped my shoulder. I shrugged him off before turning to face him. My face was flat as I pulled my cigarettes from my pocket and lifted one to my lips.
“I’m going to start doing some digging, and then—”
I was not working with him.
“Fuck off, June,” I growled, calling him by his last name. Then, I yanked open the front door and stepped outside. The door had barely shut behind me before I cupped my hand around the cigarette between my lips and lit it up.
