5. Tiberius

5

TIBERIUS

The pounding in the office matches the pounding in my head. My head hasn’t stopped throbbing since my brother died. They said it was an accident. It wasn’t. The man responsible will be coming for Kinsley, but to get to her, he will have to go through me. I gave my word during the desperate phone call Jude had made the night he died. I vowed to protect Kinsley with my life. I have never gone back on my word, and I refuse to start now.

The girl has been kept in the dark about her parents, and I know she has questions. I cannot answer them. Not yet. I’ve given my word about that too. I have mixed feelings about the truth coming out, which it will. Especially now with Cannon Edge after Kinsley. She knows none of what she needs protecting from, which makes things difficult.

I watch her from my position in the foyer of the family home as she drinks coffee with Jock. I was right in choosing him to keep the girl close. Regardless of his size, he is harmless with females—at least, with gentle ones.

My eyes sweep over Kinsley, who looks forlorn. Delicate. Although, maybe she isn’t as delicate as I thought. She has spirit, which makes her fear of Martha Green confusing to me. I’m going to sort that shit out.

Pulling my gaze away from the girl, I head toward the kitchen. After a quick glance around the large room filled with chrome, I spot the woman in question—Green. I narrow my gaze. “I want your bags packed and you gone within the hour.” I turn to one of my men. “Edgar, take Green to the train station. Give her enough money to last her a week.”

“I’ve worked here for years,” the woman snarls. “You can’t fire me.”

Who is this woman to question me?

Anger boils over as my long legs eat up the distance between us. I grab her by the neck and lift her off her feet. I slam her into the cupboard behind her and get in her face. “Do not talk back to me.” I squeeze her neck and think about snapping it. Her eyes bulge and she gasps for breath as I release her and step back.

“Edgar,” I say in a dark voice. “Get her out of this house before I change my mind about what to do with her.”

I make room for Edgar to pick the woman up from the floor. She gives me a nasty look that causes me to raise a brow. The woman is a fighter. I pause for a moment as I debate the wisdom of letting the bitch go. What the fuck!

The young girl, Marie, has tried to make herself invisible as she cowers frozen in the opposite corner of the kitchen. I wave my hand around and ask, “Can you cook?”

She nods.

“Meat and potatoes?”

She nods again.

“That’s what we will have for dinner. Vegetables too.” I force a smile, wanting to put the girl at ease. However, the look of horror on the girl’s face suggests my smile comes off more as a grimace. I do not smile as a rule. “Edgar will be in within the hour to let you know how many to cook for. If you need groceries, he will take you and pay.”

I reach for a cup, then place it on the machine and impatiently wait for the coffee to pour.

At times I have so much going on in my head that I can’t decide what to concentrate on first. It hasn’t always been that way, but with Edge wanting my family gone, I have a permanent fucking headache. It sure as fuck doesn’t help having Kinsley dumped on me. I’ve kept my distance for a reason that only I know. And now the beautiful girl is my ward. Fucking ironic.

When the final drop of coffee drips into my cup, I snatch it up and walk toward the foyer. Kinsley needs to stay out of my head so I can concentrate on keeping her alive, not to mention myself.

Just as Jock and Kinsley come out of the living room, the front door opens, and in steps Veronica Rossi, dressed in designer clothes with freshly applied makeup and a smile on her red lips. Salem doesn’t understand why I don’t like the woman. Maybe it’s because of the venom I know lies under her skin. All the woman has to do is open her mouth and my hackles rise.

Jock winces, and Kinsley scrunches up her nose as the overwhelming scent of Veronica’s perfume fills the room. Amusement bubbles up inside me at the sight of Kinsley’s pert nose all scrunched up. The feeling soon dies as Veronica reaches me and presses a kiss to my cheek. I narrow my eyes and watch as the woman blushes. She only shows affection like this when another woman is around. Does she consider Kinsley a threat? What a laugh, especially considering Kinsley is the only girl I want.

“Office,” I grumble, pointing toward the half-open door. “Blaze,” I bellow.

“Yeah, boss?”

“Keep Veronica company in the office until I get there.”

“Really, Beckett?” Veronica presses her body up against mine and caresses my cheek with her long red fingernails.

My eyes glitter with anger. She’s pushing her luck with me today. I snap a hand up and grip her wrist. “I’m not interested.” I give her a gentle shove toward where Blaze waits. Veronica’s features tighten into an ugly scowl at the rejection.

I look Kinsley over and notice she looks better than she did at the reading of the will. Tension leaked from her then, and maybe fear. Now she looks relaxed, although I sense her curiosity about the other woman. It does not escape my notice that we are dressed alike either.

Jock moves to the side as I approach Kinsley. “I fired Martha,” I tell her abruptly, annoyed that I’ve done something in her favor. “Marie will be cooking for now. Between you and Jock, I want you to find two others for the kitchen. The same cleaning service that I use at my place will be brought here.”

“I’m sorry.”

I frown at the girl. “For what?”

She fidgets with her hands. “For the house. For having to sort everything out. For being stuck with me. Take your pick.” Kinsley’s eyes look watery as I get lost in their emerald depths.

I clear my throat and take a step back. “None of it is your fault.”

Her head tilts to the side. “Is she your woman?” Her gaze drifts toward the office door.

“Stay with Jock.” I turn and stalk toward the office. Blaze moves past me as I appear in the doorway. With my eyes locked on Veronica, I hiss, “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Now, is that anyway to speak to your fiancée.”